Radovich v. National Football League · US Supreme Court · 1957

Is the NFL exempt too?

Short answer: No: football has no exemption.

The facts. Bill Radovich left the NFL for a rival league and said he was blacklisted when he tried to come back. He sued. The NFL pointed to the Supreme Court's rulings that baseball is exempt from antitrust law.

The ruling. Radovich v. National Football League (1957): The Court held football falls under antitrust law, and limited baseball's exemption to baseball alone.

The Court all but admitted the split was illogical. It said its baseball ruling was to stand but was not to be extended. Radovich's win helped shape all other pro sports.

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For fun, not legal advice.