"Greedy" MLB Gets Shutout by Fantasy Sports Leagues

You thought baseball was greedy? These guys even tried to take over fantasy sports by claiming that fantasy sports leagues had to get a license and pay money for box scores! The same ones you see in the newspaper every day, baseball wanted money for. Of course, baseball was claiming that they players "right of publicity" was being infringed - because fantasy leagues weren't paying them for box scores. Yeah, right. It's one thing to put up player pictures and game footage without permission or payment; this is just player names and statistics.

For about 20 years, baseball and the other leagues (yes, they were supporting baseball in this) thought of fantasy sports as a bunch of geeks worthy of scorn. Then, fantasy sports got hot and profitable. Then they claim they are being harmed and try and take over! If baseball had their way, if you didn't pay the license fee, or if baseball didn't feel like allowing you to have a license, you couldn't operate your fantasy league website.

Well, one small fantasy sports website took baseball to court - and won. Won at the District Court level, the Appeals Court level and the Supreme Court level. Actually the Supreme Court declined to take up baseball's appeal, leaving the other decisions in place. For you scoring at home, the series between Fantasy Sports and MLB was a 3 game sweep by Fantasy Sports. Justice for the little guy, I say.

As mentioned earlier, the other sports leagues jumped on baseball's appeal and wrote supporting documents trying to sway the Supreme Court to take up the case. Didn't work. Regardless of all the legalese and twisted logic from the sports leagues, common sense prevailed. If something is in the public domain, like statistics and facts, such as Barry Bonds went 2 for 4 yesterday with a home run, single, walk and strike out, it doesn't make sense that one person doesn't have to pay for that and another person does.

The Sporting News has the full story for those who want to read more and gloat.

What does this mean for fantasy sports? At minimum, the small guys will be able to continue to offer games for you and me to enjoy. You want to get into the industry? You won't have to worry about paying beaucoup dollars to millionaire atheletes (unless you want to).

It's not like fantasy sports doesn't help the leagues. Who really wants to watch the Lions vs. Dolphins unless they have some fantasy players in the game (If you have any of those, I feel really sorry for you) or, you have a bet on the game (same sentiment).