The NFL Giants and Jets are no longer in New York; they play in Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. This class action sues the NFL, the teams, and their stadium, attempting to stop the use of the designation “New York” for them. The complaint states, “If the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Liberty, Rangers, and other New York franchises must play in New York and pay premium real estate costs and taxes to be branded a ‘New York’ (‘NY’) sports franchise, it is only fair that the NFL Giants and Jets do the same or change their name[s] to accurately reflect the location of their stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.”
The class for this action is all NFL Giants and Jets fans who live in New York.
The defendants in this case are NFL, New York Football Giants, Inc., New York Jets, LLC, and MetLife Stadium Company, LLC.
The thirty-two teams in the NFL, the complaint says, “are identified by a team name, logo, and location or hometown.” Football fans from these cities, states, or regions identify with “their” team, the complaint says, and follow and support them by buying tickets and team merchandise.
The complaint alleges, “All NFL franchises are now valued in the billions of dollars due to intellectual property rights, and exclusive licenses they hold for tickets, broadcast rights, advertising, and exclusive licenses they hold for tickets, broadcast rights, advertising and marketing rights, and merchandising.”
According to the complaint, the Giants have increased 900% in value over the past nineteen years and the Jets 700% in twenty-one years, “both largely due to their designation as New York (‘NY’) NFL teams.” Yet the teams both have high numbers of empty seats at games, the complaint alleges, because of the distance fans must travel to their stadiums.
The complaint alleges that the New York designation damages fans in two ways. First, it cites transportation damages. It says fans are initially unaware that the teams play in New Jersey and, when they finally buy tickets to attend games in person, they are forced to travel more than four hours round-trip to attend, at a high cost, when they can attend games for “real” New York teams for $2.75 and a subway or bus ride each way.
Second, the complaint alleges that fans suffer emotional and psychological damages. The complaint claims, “Sports fandom is linked to higher levels of well-being and general happiness with one’s social life as well as lower levels of loneliness and alienation.” However, it claims, “Giants and Jets fans lost their connection with the teams when they relocated to New Jersey and maintain minimal sports identification with the Giants and Jets…”
The causes of action include false advertising, deceptive practices, “civil RICO,” and unjust enrichment.
Article Type: LawsuitTopic: Consumer
Most Recent Case Event
NFL Giants and Jets “New York” Team Designation Complaint
January 4, 2022
The NFL Giants and Jets are no longer in New York; they play in Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. This class action sues the NFL, the teams, and their stadium, attempting to stop the use of the designation “New York” for them. The complaint states, “If the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Liberty, Rangers, and other New York franchises must play in New York and pay premium real estate costs and taxes to be branded a ‘New York’ (‘NY’) sports franchise, it is only fair that the NFL Giants and Jets do the same or change their name[s] to accurately reflect the location of their stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.”
NFL Giants and Jets “New York” Team Designation ComplaintCase Event History
NFL Giants and Jets “New York” Team Designation Complaint
January 4, 2022
The NFL Giants and Jets are no longer in New York; they play in Metlife Stadium in New Jersey. This class action sues the NFL, the teams, and their stadium, attempting to stop the use of the designation “New York” for them. The complaint states, “If the Yankees, Mets, Knicks, Liberty, Rangers, and other New York franchises must play in New York and pay premium real estate costs and taxes to be branded a ‘New York’ (‘NY’) sports franchise, it is only fair that the NFL Giants and Jets do the same or change their name[s] to accurately reflect the location of their stadium in East Rutherford, New Jersey.”
NFL Giants and Jets “New York” Team Designation Complaint