Judge Tosses Tony Romo’s Fantasy-Football Case

DALLAS (CN) - A Texas judge tossed a lawsuit accusing the National Football League of threatening to punish players who planned to appear at a fantasy football expo organized by Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo's company.

State District Judge Carl Ginsberg granted the league's second motion for summary judgment on Tuesday. He dismissed at least eight of Fan Expo LLC's claims, including breach of contract, fraudulent nondisclosure, negligence and negligent misrepresentation.

The dismissal come three months after Ginsberg dismissed fraud, tortious interference with a contract and business disparagement claims against the NFL.

Romo's company filed the lawsuit last July, claiming the league intimidated other players scheduled to appear at The National Fantasy Football Convention at the Sands Expo and Convention Center in Las Vegas because the league felt the venue violated the league's gambling policy. Romo is not a party to the lawsuit.

His company's attorneys have called the NFL "a corporate thug" for making the alleged threats.

Fan Expo said it told the NFL that "the event was not taking place at a casino, that no gambling would take place at the event, and that children were allowed and encouraged to attend," but to no avail.

Romo's company filed a second lawsuit against the league in Dallas County court over a second expo that was to take place next month in Pasadena, Calif.

Fan Expo claims the league contacted expo sponsor EA Sports, who later pulled out of the event. Fan Expo announced the cancellation of this year's event two weeks ago, blaming the NFL's "blatant and continued interference."

Fan Expo's attorney, Julie Pettit of Dallas, said the company disagrees with the dismissal.

"We, along with other trial and appellate lawyers following the case, believe the summary judgment was improperly granted," she told the Dallas Morning News on Thursday. "We will file a notice of appeal shortly. This case will simply take a 'time-out' while we wait for a decision from the Dallas Court of Appeals. We trust that the Fan Expo case will end up where it belongs - which is in front of a jury - so that the NFL is held responsible for its actions."

Thad Behrens, Haynes and Boone partner and lead NFL defense lawyer in the case, applauded the decision.

"We are very pleased by the court's ruling dismissing all of the NFFC's claims in this case," Behrens said. "The court correctly found that all of NFFC's claims were baseless, confirming that the NFL's actions to protect its rights were entirely justified and appropriate."

Follow @davejourno

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