NFL Lock-Out: Why Claiming the NFL Is a Monopoly Is Flat-out Wrong

March 14, 2011   ·   Josh McCain   ·   Jump to comments

The big gun in the arsenal that used to be the NFLPA (before they decertified on Friday) was that the NFL and it's 32 teams violate the United States antitrust laws and was a monopoly.
The league, in order to defend itself, argues that each of the 32 teams are separate businesses that operate under a governing body—i.e. a cartel. 
In fact, the NFL has rules set up within itself that are similar to the United States antitrust laws.
For instance, the US does not allow price fixing amongst competitors.  
Price fixing is where competing businesses get together and determine what they will charge for their goods instead of allowing the free market determine the price. Sugar and corn companies have been nailed for these activities in the past.
The NFL mimics this in two ways.
First, the league does not tell any of the teams how to set their price for their tickets or anything sold within their stadiums.
Dan Snyder, for example (the owne...

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