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Feb 14, 2024, 01:41 PM ET
A class-action suit was filed Wednesday in federal court in New York arguing that the major junior hockey system in North America violates U.S. antitrust law.
The lawsuit, brought by divisions of the World Association of Icehockey Players Unions and two individual former major junior players, takes aim at the Quebec Maritimes Junior Hockey League, Ontario Hockey League and Western Hockey that make up the Canadian Hockey League, as well as the NHL. The plaintiffs allege the leagues exploit teenagers in the sport by restricting their ability to pick where to play and, as a result, limiting their compensation.
The NHL is named as a defendant for its role in supporting and financing the CHL. Lawyers allege in the complaint that the NHL and its teams “exert substantial influence and control over major junior defendants, thereby facilitating major junior defendants’ conspiracy.”
The lawyers call the system “a cartel (that) artificially suppresses and standardizes compensation by denying players their freedom of choice, freedom of movement and freedom to play for the club of their choice.”
The CHL had no immediate comment on the complaint.
“We have just been made aware of the complaint, filed by WAIPU, an organization that has not been certified to represent any CHL players,” the league said in a statement sent to The Associated Press. “Until we can thoroughly review the document, we are unable to provide comment as to the legitimacy of its contents.”
Representatives for the CHL and NHL were not given advance notice and did not receive the complaint until Wednesday morning after it was filed in U.S. District Court in Manhattan.
Eight of the CHL’s 60 teams are based in the U.S.: Five in Washington state, two in Michigan and one in Pennsylvania. The rest are in Canada.
Each U.S. state and Canadian province is assigned to one of the three leagues — the QMJHL, OHL or WHL — and players from them who want to play in the CHL cannot choose among them. They…
Source link : https://www.espn.com/nhl/story/_/id/39525364/lawsuit-junior-hockey-violates-antitrust-law
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Publish date : 2024-02-14 18:41:42
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