Jets Fight Back (Dirty)

The imbroglio over the Hudson Railyards was "punted" up another notch this morning when the NY Jets filed a federal lawsuit against Cablevision accusing them of engaging in a "multimillion-dollar anticompetitive campaign to delay and derail" the NY Jets' plan to build a competing West Side stadium.

On the homepage of JetsFightBack.com, one of the NY Jet's websites it reads-

"Today the Jets filed a lawsuit against Cablevision Systems Corporation, the owner of Madison Square Garden and Radio City Music Hall, for engaging in ongoing anticompetitive behavior designed to maintain its monopoly over enclosed large-scale spectator events and private spectator suites in Manhattan - and deprive New Yorkers of the benefits of fair competition in the market.

It has become increasingly clear over the past several weeks that Cablevision will stop at nothing to defend its stranglehold on New York City's entertainment venues. Cablevision's egregious actions have violated Federal laws, harmed New York City consumers, and fall way outside the boundaries of common sportsmanship. From our perspective, litigation is, and always should be, a last resort, but Cablevision has crossed the line from playing tough to playing dirty and it's time for the Jets to fight back."

Far from being an honest disagreement, it's quite sad that the Jets have escalated this dispute to the federal level, by launching an anti-trust lawsuit against a competitor vying for the Hudson railyard real estate. If anyone is being anti-competitive, it's the NY Jets, along with numerous politicians who are propping this whole stadium shenanigans and are trying to keep this massive tract of real estate from undergoing any sort of development other than their pet stadium project.

And that is just for starters, never mind the fact that the stadium plans call for $600 million to be funded by John Q. Taxpayer; and we all know quite well that taxpayer funded projects containing a high number of dollars only turn into even higher sums later on, as if by magic.

But that is not all; the NY Jets are also suing because Cablevision refuses to air pro-stadium advertisements on Cablevision's cable TV network(!!!) That's like Snapple suing McDonald's to force them to sell their brand of soft-drinks in their restaurants.

And to add insult to injury, it's the Jets who are accusing Cablevision of playing dirty!
Did Cablevision try to usurp taxpayer funds in their bid to develop the railyards?
Did Cablevision launch federal-level lawsuits to stop competitors from bidding on the land?
Did Cablevision try to deprive the MTA of much needed funds by underbidding on the land, and trying to force the undersell with the hands of politicians?

Oh the bitter irony!

Read more here:
NY Times