Major League Soccer (MLS) was the exclusive Division I professional soccer league in the United States, as recognized by the U. S. Soccer Federation (USSF), the national soccer governing body. MLS owned all of the league’s 12 teams, set all schedules, negotiated all stadium leases, controlled all intellectual property rights, and controlled all player contracts. Partial control over some teams was transferred by MLS to certain investors. The investors did not hire their own players. Each employment contract was between the player and the league. MLS assigned the players in a manner designed to maintain competitive balance. MLS had been preceded in U.S. professional soccer by the North American Soccer League, which had failed financially. A group of players sued the MLS on antitrust grounds.
a. What were the players’ antitrust claims?
b. Decide those claims. Explain.