Oscar Robertson suit
Encyclopedia
Robertson v. National Basketball Association, 556 F.2d 682
(2d Cir. 1977), was an antitrust lawsuit filed by American
basketball
player Oscar Robertson
against the National Basketball Association
.
, to end the option clause that bound a player to a single NBA team in perpetuity
, to end the NBA's college draft
binding a player to one team, and to end restrictions on free agent signings. The suit also sought damages for NBA players for past harm caused by the option clause.
Robertson's lawsuit prevented the planned 1970 merger of the National Basketball Association
with the American Basketball Association
. Early in the suit, the court issued an injunction against any merger. The ABA-NBA merger
was thus delayed until 1976.
came close to enacting legislation to enable a merger but the measure was not passed. As a result, the two leagues did not merge until 1976.
Although he wasn't playing anymore, Robertson was not out of sight. As president of the NBA players union, Oscar Robertson
's 1970 suit against the NBA contended the draft, option clause and other rules restricting player movement were violations of antitrust laws. The suit was settled in 1976, when the league agreed to let players become free agent
s in exchange for their old team's "right of first refusal" to match any offer they might receive.
Case citation
Case citation is the system used in many countries to identify the decisions in past court cases, either in special series of books called reporters or law reports, or in a 'neutral' form which will identify a decision wherever it was reported...
(2d Cir. 1977), was an antitrust lawsuit filed by American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
basketball
Basketball
Basketball is a team sport in which two teams of five players try to score points by throwing or "shooting" a ball through the top of a basketball hoop while following a set of rules...
player Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
against the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
.
Overview
Filed in 1970, the lawsuit was settled in 1976 and resulted in the free agency rules now used in the NBA.Background
Robertson sought through his lawsuit to block any merger of the NBA with the American Basketball AssociationAmerican Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
, to end the option clause that bound a player to a single NBA team in perpetuity
Reserve clause
The reserve clause is a term formerly employed in North American professional sports contracts. The reserve clause, contained in all standard player contracts, stated that, upon the contract's expiration the rights to the player were to be retained by the team to which he had been signed...
, to end the NBA's college draft
NBA Draft
The NBA Draft is an annual event in which the thirty teams from the National Basketball Association can draft players who are eligible and wish to join the league. These players are usually amateur U.S. college basketball players, but international players are also eligible to be drafted...
binding a player to one team, and to end restrictions on free agent signings. The suit also sought damages for NBA players for past harm caused by the option clause.
Robertson's lawsuit prevented the planned 1970 merger of the National Basketball Association
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
with the American Basketball Association
American Basketball Association
The American Basketball Association was a professional basketball league founded in 1967. The ABA ceased to exist with the ABA–NBA merger in 1976.-League history:...
. Early in the suit, the court issued an injunction against any merger. The ABA-NBA merger
ABA-NBA merger
The ABA–NBA merger was the merger of the American Basketball Association with the National Basketball Association, which after multiple attempts over several years finally occurred in 1976.- Origins of ABA-NBA competition :...
was thus delayed until 1976.
Aftermath
In 1972, CongressUnited States Congress
The United States Congress is the bicameral legislature of the federal government of the United States, consisting of the Senate and the House of Representatives. The Congress meets in the United States Capitol in Washington, D.C....
came close to enacting legislation to enable a merger but the measure was not passed. As a result, the two leagues did not merge until 1976.
Although he wasn't playing anymore, Robertson was not out of sight. As president of the NBA players union, Oscar Robertson
Oscar Robertson
Oscar Palmer Robertson , nicknamed "The Big O", is a former American NBA player with the Cincinnati Royals and the Milwaukee Bucks...
's 1970 suit against the NBA contended the draft, option clause and other rules restricting player movement were violations of antitrust laws. The suit was settled in 1976, when the league agreed to let players become free agent
Free agent
In professional sports, a free agent is a player whose contract with a team has expired and who is thus eligible to sign with another club or franchise....
s in exchange for their old team's "right of first refusal" to match any offer they might receive.