Jury finds in favor of fans displeased with 2011 Super Bowl seats

On Thursday a Texas federal jury apparently found in favor of a group of fans unhappy with their 2011 Super Bowl seats.

Two days after Super Bowel XLV ended in Arlington, Steve Simms and Mike Dolabi filed a class-action lawsuit against the owner of the Dallas Cowboys, Jerry Jones, and the National Football League on Feb. 8, 2011, in the U.S. District Court for Northern Texas, Dallas Division.

The claim grew to encompass seven ticket holders who allege they were either displaced from their seats or had obstructed views during the game.

“For decades, the NFL has routinely claimed that the Super Bowl is the pinnacle of all sporting events worldwide. And for decades, the NFL has made hundreds of millions of dollars by promoting the Super Bowl as the greatest single game of the year culminating in the crowning of the World Champion of the NFL,” the suit states.

“With full knowledge of these facts, the NFL, in tandem with the Dallas Cowboys organization and its owner Jerry Jones, engaged in a failed and reckless attempt to maximize revenue and attendance at Super Bowl XLV and, in the process, betrayed the trust of many of its most loyal fans, including Plaintiffs. Simply put, the NFL placed its own outright greed ahead of the very fans whose support allows the NFL to prosper and further enrich Jones and the other team owners.”

The NFL argued the plaintiffs suffered no injury from its alleged conduct, according to the organization’s answer.

Although no jury verdict is on file as of March 12, Law360 is reporting jurors found that the NFL should pay $75,000 to the plaintiffs, barring a possible mistrial.

The plaintiffs were represented in part by Addison attorney Christopher Ayres.

Case No. 3:11-cv-00248-M