KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri Supreme Court is weighing whether a legal standard that protects sports teams from being sued over fan injuries caused by in-game events should also apply to those caused by mascots or other team personnel.
The court’s ruling on John Coomer’s lawsuit against the Kansas City Royals could affect how major sports teams engage their fans during games.
Coomer says he was hit in the eye by a foil-wrapped hotdog thrown by the Royals’ mascot four years ago. The Kansas man says he’s had to endure two eye surgeries and that his vision was permanently damaged.
The team argues that it should be protected by the so-called “baseball rule.” That legal standard holds that fans assume the risk of being struck by foul balls or stray pucks at games.
