The appellate division of the N.Y. Supreme Court has set a date of March 14 to hear oral arguments in the ongoing MASN media rights dispute. Two core issues will be before the court in the long-running case: whether to confirm a lower court ruling from ’15 vacating a league decision in favor of the Nationals and where to send the dispute next. The Orioles-controlled MASN has long sought to move the issue to a neutral forum, arguing a history of improper conduct by MLB’s Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee prevents a fair rehearing. The league and the Nationals, conversely, are seeking a return to that internal body, and MLB Commissioner Rob Manfred has predicted on several occasions that is what will ultimately happen in the case. Each side will be limited to a maximum of 15 minutes to make their case before the appellate judges. MLB will be represented in the hearing by Paul Clement, a DC-based attorney with Kirkland & Ellis and former U.S. Solicitor General who worked for the NFL during the Tom Brady-Deflategate case. MASN will be represented by Carter Phillips of Sidley Austin, who has argued extensively before the U.S. Supreme Court.
