Firm Obtains $2.9 Million Trial Victory in Fort Worth Antitrust Trial

By Weisbart Springer Hayes

Firm partner Geoff Weisbart obtained a $2.9 million trial victory on behalf of the Texas Collegiate Baseball League after a one-week jury trial in Fort Worth, Texas.

Jurors found that Fred “Britt” Britton of Colleyville participated in a 2007 group boycott of the TCBL with several other team owners, which violated antitrust laws. The TCBL reached out-of-court settlements with the other owners prior to the trial. The TCBL ceased operations in 2007.

In the May 2 verdict issued in Judge Donald Cosby’s 67th District Court, jurors awarded more than $850,000, plus attorneys’ fees, to the TCBL. The jury also found that Mr. Britton’s conduct in the group boycott was flagrant, causing the amount of damages to be tripled, bringing the total damage award to $2.9 million in a final judgment issued on June 6.

“We could not be more pleased with the jury’s verdict,” says Weisbart, of the Austin-based law firm Weisbart Springer Hayes. “The jury paid close attention to the evidence and agreed that the group boycott was illegal, flagrant and caused serious damages by destroying the league.”

More than 150 TCBL players were drafted by Major League Baseball teams during the league’s operations from 2004-2007, including future MLB All-Stars Hunter Pence of the San Francisco Giants, Chris Davis of the Baltimore Orioles, and Clay Buchholz, who tossed a no-hitter in just his second major league start for the Boston Red Sox in 2007.

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