US: Cheerleaders’ NFL collusion lawsuit shut down, again

Despite NFL cheerleaders only making anywhere from US$0 to US$125 a game, their US$300 million lawsuit alleging that the NFL and 27 of its clubs had colluded to restrict their pay has been dismissed.

On Friday, July 21, US District Judge William Alsup denied the motion for leave to amend the complaint and also dismissed the case.

Judge Alsup explained saying, “This action comes in the wake of a string of wage-and-hour lawsuits against NFL clubs in recent years to benefit cheerleaders, but it is not itself a wage-and-hour suit. Instead, this action opens a new chapter in litigation concerning NFL cheerleaders based on ‘more sinister’ allegations of antitrust conspiracy between clubs.”

The judge also pointed out that cheerleaders are not essential and that five NFL teams succeed without even having cheerleaders.

The dismissal states that the cheerleaders’ failed to provide any factual allegations and that the arguments provided were contradictory.

Full Content: Law.com

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