National Football League

Supreme Court nixes Spygate suit appeal

Published Mar. 7, 2011 12:00 a.m. ET

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The Supreme Court said Monday it won't review a decision throwing out a lawsuit stemming from the New England Patriots' 2007 ''Spygate'' scandal.

The high court refused to revive a New York Jets fan's class-action lawsuit against their football archrivals and coach, Bill Belichick.

Carl Mayer, a lawyer in Princeton, N.J., known for filing legal actions against New Jersey politicians, is a New York Jets season ticket-holder. He wanted millions of dollars from the Patriots and Belichick, claiming they deceived customers by secretly videotaping Jets coaches' in-game signals. His lawsuit claimed fans spent large sums to see games that were essentially rigged.

The suit alleged that the Patriots taped the Jets' signals in their twice-yearly contests for seven years, and sought triple damages for Jets fans based on a rough average of $100 a ticket. Mayer sought $185 million in damages for Jets fans alone.

The Patriots were caught taping signals at the Jets' 2007 home opener in Giants Stadium, a game New England won 38-14.

NFL commissioner Roger Goodell fined Belichick $500,000 and the team $250,000 for that incident, and stripped New England of a first-round draft choice.

A U.S. District Court judge and a federal appeals panel dismissed Mayer's class-action lawsuit. The 3rd U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in Philadelphia said Mayer failed to prove any legal right to damages.

The Supreme Court, without comment, refused to reconsider that decision.

The case is Mayer v. Belichick, 10-867.

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