NFL Scores A Victory In Court In Tony Romo's NFFC Lawsuit
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DALLAS (CBSDFW.COM) - Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo may be a master at avoiding defenders, but last summer there was no avoiding the NFL's reach.
On Monday a Dallas judge threw out part of Romo's lawsuit against the league.
Romo's National Fantasy Football Convention (NFFC) was sacked by the NFL after the league claimed the event violated its gambling policy since it was to take place at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. The hotel includes a casino.
Three months before the event, the NFL notified the nearly hundred NFL players scheduled to attend that they faced fines or even suspension.
Romo and his business partners were forced to cancel the event and are now suing for damages.
District Judge Carl Ginsberg dismissed Romo's claim Monday of "tortious interference" by the NFL.
After the hearing, NFL attorney Thad Beherns said, "The NFL is gratified of the court's ruling, which was a careful analysis that we believe was the correct one."
The case, however; is far from over.
Romo's attorneys still have "breach of contract" and "estopple" claims in the lawsuit.
Attorney Michael Hurst said he ultimately believes he will be able to show a jury the NFL was motivated, not by its gambling policy, but by money when it sacked Romo's event.
"At the end of the day it was about money," Hurst said. "And I would add it's about control. The NFL acts like the NFL players are owned by them. It acts like they are a chattel and they're not."
Romo's attorneys also pointed out in court Monday what they say has been an inconsistency in the NFL enforcing its gambling policy, noting the NFL is not holding a party hosted by New England Patriot All-Pro tight-end Rob Gronkowski on a gambling cruise to same gambling policy as Romo's fantasy football convention.
Attorneys for the NFL refute that claim, noting the NFL is investigating Gronkowski's party cruise for violations of the league's gambling policy.
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