The National Football League was hit with an antitrust lawsuit by two fans who claim the league has refused to allow its teams to join Bluesky, according to multiple reports.
Patrick Brown, a Chicago Bears fan, and Collin Vincent, who roots for the Seattle Seahawks, filed a 14-page complaint in New York, alleging the league is restraining engagement between teams and players on the social media site.
“Where the teams meet their fans on social media is between the teams and the fans,” Thomas Burt, the plaintiffs’ attorney, told Front Office Sports. “The NFL does not have the legal right to inject themselves into that decision.”
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The logo of social media platform Bluesky is displayed on a mobile phone and tablet in Paris on Nov. 12, 2024. (Ian Langsdon/AFP via Getty Images)
Puck first reported the lawsuit.
The fans feel that they should not be limited to platforms, most notably X, in order to engage with their teams.
Fred Kirsch, the vice president of content for Kraft Sports & Entertainment, recently said on the “Patriots Unfiltered” podcast that the New England Patriots were “not allowed to” have a Bluesky account and were actually told by the NFL to delete their page.
The site has amassed over 30 million new users, with most joining amid Elon Musk’s changes to then-Twitter, now known as X, and the billionaire’s involvement with the Trump administration.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell speaks during a news conference at the Caesars Superdome ahead of Super Bowl LIX in New Orleans on Feb. 3. (AP Photo/Matt York)
The lawsuit says the NFL’s decision to bar teams on Bluesky is a “financial matter,” citing “published reports.” The Sports Business Journal reported last month that the league wants a paid partnership with Bluesky if teams were to join.
The suit also says the NFL announced earlier this month that teams are not allowed on the platform, although no such announcement has been made public or even reported.
The NFL did not immediately respond to an email for a request for comment.
NFL commissioner Roger Goodell poses with the Vince Lombardi Trophy alongside Philadelphia Eagles and Kansas City Chiefs helmets at a press conference ahead of Super Bowl LIX at the Caesars Superdome in New Orleans on Feb. 3. (Kirby Lee-Imagn Images)
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