Familiar judge to rule on collusion suit
Doty part of NFL history
MINNEAPOLIS — The federal judge who oversaw NFL labor matters for almost two decades is considering a lawsuit brought by the NFL Players Association that accuses the league of collusion.
The players claim the NFL conspired to hold down salaries in 2010 with a secret salary cap.
An attorney for each side argued before U. S. District Judge David Doty on Thursday. Doty took the case under advisement, without promising when he’d decide but acknowledging he’s not in a rush.
“We’re not going to stop any games from being played or anything like that,” Doty said.
Last year, Doty issued a key ruling for the players in a dispute over $ 4 billion in television revenue they contended the league held back to survive a long lockout. The claim was ultimately resolved as part of the new collective bargaining agreement reached last July in time to play the 2011 season.
The 83-year- old Doty also presided over the Reggie White settlement from 1993 — the class-action suit that paved the way for the modern system of unrestricted free agency. The White settlement served as the backbone for the previous CBA.
Doty has ruled often in favor of the players, a pattern that even prompted him on Thursday to ask lead NFL lawyer Gregg Levy if the league had a problem with his presence, and said he might recuse himself if the case got “bigger.”
Levy said there was no problem. Levy said league owners did not collude to set a secret salary cap during the uncapped 2010 season. But he also argued that’s a moot point. Even Doty said the union’s petition to reopen the White settlement is a “steep hill.”
When the new CBA replaced the old one, Doty’s jurisdiction ended. Levy called the suit by the players “an extraordinary step” and claimed they promised twice not to sue anew as the current CBA was negotiated.
Levy also said the players could have brought their lawsuit two years ago, when the alleged freeze was taking place.
Dallas and Washington were penalized for overloading contracts in the 2010 uncapped season despite league warnings. The NFL took away $10 million in cap space from the Cowboys and $36 million from the Redskins.
Jeffrey Kessler, the union’s lead l awyer, claimed the players only learned of the secret cap via the media. He cited comments made earlier this year by New York Giants owner John Mara when penalties were issued by the league, as evidence of a conspiracy.
DEVELOPMENTS
Money, money, money ... MONEY: The Dallas Cowboys are the f irst American sports franchise worth more than $2 billion, according to Forbes magazine. The NFL’s most valuable team for the sixth consecutive year, the Cowboys saw their overall worth increase 14 percent to $2.1 billion. The average NFL team value is $1.11 billion, up 7 percent.
Tennesseean Jimmy Haslam III bought the Cleveland Browns this summer for $1 billion, $13 million more than the value Forbes placed on the 21stranked team. Also in the top five are New England ($1.635 billion), Washington ($1.6 billion), the New York Giants ($1.468 billion) and Houston ($1.305 billion).
Team Marketing Report released its Fan Cost Index and the highest nonpremium ticket prices belong to the New York Jets ($117.94), Patriots ($117.84), Giants ($111.69) and Chicago Bears ($110.91).
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Collie set to go? Indianapolis Colts coach Chuck Pagano said receiver Austin Collie “is a full go” to play Sunday in Chicago. But Collie wouldn’t say if he has been fully cleared following a preseason concussion.
Briefly: The Arizona Cardinals and linebacker Daryl Washington have agreed on a six-year contract. ... Buffalo Bills’ top receiver Stevie Johnson (groin) is uncertain for Sunday’s opener with the Jets. . ... The Jacksonville Jaguars will have receiver Justin Blackmon and guard Uche Nwaneri for Sunday, but could be without linebacker Daryl Smith (groin) and Derek Cox (hamstring).