US: Virginia private school files antitrust suit over sports league exclusion

An antitrust lawsuit in Virginia has been filed against the state’s High School League, reports say, accusing the league of unfairly excluding private schools from the money-making commodity.

According to reports, Liberty Christian Academy, a private Christian school, filed a federal antitrust complaint that claims the VHSL “entered into agreements that restrain competition in the markets for the commercial exhibition of Virginia high school football and basketball contests to exclude competition from non-public high schools,” adding that the alleged practices are “a blatant violation of antitrust laws.”

According to court documents, the League’s business operations involving ticket sales, merchandise sales, advertisements and promotions, and other operations involve tens of millions of dollars every year. But the operations are not open to private high schools in Virginia, the plaintiff claims.

Further, reports say, Liberty Christian Academy says the League penalizes any institution that does not comply with the alleged anticompetitive rules.

Full content: Courthouse News Service

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