San Diego attorney Mike Aguirre yesterday threatened to
file an antitrust lawsuit against the NFL, according to
Barry Bloom in the SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE. Aguirre claimed
that the NFL is "treading on tenuous legal ground" by
threatening to pull Super Bowl XXXII out of San Diego and
allowing the Chargers to play elsewhere. Aguirre and
attorney Bob Ottilie represents Bruce Henderson, who has
successfully led a petition drive to place a portion of the
expansion on the ballot and is challenging the Chargers'
lease in court. Though Aguirre did not disclose who he was
representing in this latest legal action, he said Henderson
is not among the possible plaintiffs. NFL Commissioner Paul
Tagliabue did not respond to the threatened suit, but does
plan to meet with Chargers President Dean Spanos and city
officials Monday on the stadium situation. Bloom notes in
threatening a lawsuit, Aguirre is "following the lead of
Cleveland," which "threatened a similar action after the
Browns signed a deal in '95 to move to Baltimore. Chargers
Attorney Frank Rothman: "The Chargers are not looking for a
way to get our of their lease, they're looking for a way to
stay here until 2020" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/30).
A DAY IN COURT: Attorneys for both sides of the stadium
issue will meet today in court for a hearing that could
"ultimately decide whether" the city and the Chargers have a
contract to expand the stadium. Aguirre said he will file
papers asking the judge to declare that all deals between
the Chargers and the city are off and the two sides have to
start all over. San Diego City Attorney Casey Gwinn said he
will ask the judge to dismiss the case. A trial date is
targeted for mid-February (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/30).
THE WORD FROM PASADENA: The UNION-TRIBUNE's Kevin
Kernan writes that "other cities are calling" to gauge to
Chargers situation, "but for now the Chargers are not
listening to any proposals. They still consider themselves
the San Diego Chargers." Chargers President Dean Spanos:
"We're just waiting to see the city's position on the ($18
million) amendment. They're going to rewrite and repropose
it. We'll sit tight for now." Sources tell Kernan that
Pasadena officials called the Chargers yesterday, but the
club is not yet "pursuing that route." The Chargers also
received calls from Houston, but sources tell Kernan the
team isn't interested. The L.A. Coliseum "will also try to
woo the Chargers" (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 1/30).
