SAN FRANCISCO (AP) — A federal judge has dismissed the city of San Jose’s antitrust claims against Major League Baseball, but has allowed the city to pursue allegations of contract interference in connection with the Oakland Athletics’ stalled relocation plans.
U.S. District Judge Ronald M. Whyte ruled Friday that MLB’s antitrust exemption prevented many of the claims in San Jose’s lawsuit. The suit, filed in June, accuses MLB of conspiring again the team’s proposal to move to a planned ballpark in San Jose, which baseball defines as territory of the rival San Francisco Giants.
The judge did allow the city to pursue tortious interference claims MLB interfered in its contract with the A’s, which involves an option to purchase land for a new ballpark in downtown San Jose.
