May 24, 2013

NFL: Saints fan sues NFL for $5M for ‘dictatorial interference’ from Roger Goodell

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(PhatzRadio / SI) — A fan is suing the NFL for $5 million for “dictatorial, unreasonable, vindictive, and unfounded, from the Commissioner and the League,” according to a report Tuesday from The Times-Picayune.

David Mancina filed a class-action lawsuit against the NFL and Commissioner Roger Goodell citing a claim that he and other season-ticket holders had the expectation that the league would help the Saints field “a contending team comprised of the finest athletes, and the best coaches.”

The lawsuit is, of course, in response to the that the Saints were alleged to have coordinated internally without knowledge of the league. From a subsequent investigation, the Commissioner suspended head , General Manager Mickey , player and others for participating in and supporting the Program.

In addition to the , the NFL also forced the Saints to give up its 2012 and 2013 second-round draft picks, “thereby devastating the quality of the Saints, the value of the tickets purchased by and the confidence and emotional attachment of , and the class, to the Saints,” according to the suit filed by Mancina.

Mancina’s lawyer said “there is no ” for the fans, who he claims have been ignored since the Bounty Program investigation began in 2009:

“The players are suing because action has been taken against them without due process, but nobody has considered what effect it’s had on the ticket holders,” he said. “They go out there and support the team and the league year in and year out and they’re just completely ignored.”

In related news, a on Tuesday ordered the NFL to hand over all of its documents regarding the Bounty Program. The court order comes after Vilma alleged that the judge had only been given a fraction of the evidence related to the matter.

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