A Ramsey (MN) County Judge ruled yesterday that MN AG
Hubert Humphrey III "can move forward with a preliminary
investigation into possible antitrust violations" by MLB,
according to Patrick Sweeney of the ST. PAUL PIONEER PRESS.
The ruling, "likely" to be appealed by MLB, gives Humphrey
the authority to "force" MLB owners to answer questions and
"provide hundreds -- perhaps thousands" of documents
pertaining to their business practices. Humphrey, in a
statement, said the major issue is "whether major league
owners are conspiring to pressure fans and public officials
into buying them brand-new stadiums with higher returns on
things like luxury boxes and concession sales. ... If they
have nothing to hide, they should cooperate with our
investigation." Lawyers for the Twins and MLB could not be
reached for comment, and Twins President Jerry Bell declined
comment. But Univ. of IL law professor Stephen Ross
predicted that the ruling, along with a rejection in May by
NC voters of a proposed stadium tax there, "could influence"
MLB owners to negotiate with Humphrey to keep the Twins in
MN in return for his dropping the investigation (ST. PAUL
PIONEER PRESS, 4/21). In Minneapolis, Jay Weiner reports
that the ruling "compounds an already complex Twins
process," which includes the NC referendum, a Hennepin (MN)
district court case over the team's Metrodome lease, and an
"in-limbo sale agreement" between Owner Carl Pohlad and
prospective buyer Don Beaver (STAR TRIBUNE, 4/21).
