NBA v. San Diego Clippers Basketball Club case brief

NBA v. San Diego Clippers Basketball Club case brief summary
815 F.2d 562 (1987)

CASE SYNOPSIS

Petitioner, the National Basketball Association, appealed an order from the United States District Court for the Southern District of California in which the court granted respondent, the coliseum commission and others, summary judgment holding that petitioner's attempt to restrain the movement of its franchise was unlawful as a matter of law.

CASE FACTS
Petitioner, the National Basketball Association, sought a declaratory judgment that it could restrain the movement of its franchise, and that it could impose a charge for unilateral usurpation of the franchise opportunity. The district court granted summary judgment in respondent's favor dismissing petitioner's complaint.

DISCUSSION

• On appeal, the court reversed the district court's grant of summary judgment, holding that there were genuine issues of material facts. 
• The court held that petitioner was entitled to pursue its claims, because, contrary to the district court's ruling, petitioner's attempt to restrain its franchise movement was not unlawful as a matter of law. 
• According to the court, a relevant case simply held that in cases such as the present, the rule of reason applied to petitioner's actions. 
• The court then held that there were numerous issues of fact to be resolved. 
• The court held that such factual issues were for the trier of fact to resolve.

CONCLUSION

The court reversed the district court's grant of summary judgment. The court remanded the case to the district court for trial.

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