Court Revives Single-Entity Defense for Pro Sports Leagues in Antitrust Action

A panel of judges from the 7th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals has reaffirmed the veracity of the single-entity defense in an antitrust setting, firmly extending the protection to professional sports leagues.   In this instance, the NFL was sued by American Needle, Inc., a maker of headwear, after its licensing arm – NFL Properties LLC – reached an exclusive agreement authorizing Reebok International Ltd. to sell headwear bearing the logos of the NFL and its 32 teams.   The 7th Circu