NFL Must Face Antitrust Suits, U.S. High Court Says

The U.S. Supreme Court exposed professional sports leagues to greater antitrust scrutiny, reviving a suit over the National Football League’s agreement with Adidas AG’s Reebok to sell clothing bearing team insignias.

The justices unanimously ruled that the league should be treated for antitrust purposes as 32 separate teams, rather than as a group, in the way it licenses its trademark rights. Group treatment would have insulated the league from suits claiming its licensing practices thwarted competition and raised prices.