The San Antonio Spurs caused a controversy when they sent home four of their top players prior to a nationally-televised game against the Miami Heat on Nov. 29. They have already been punished by the league for the move, and now they are being sued by a fan.
According to ESPN, attorney Larry McGuinness filed a class-action suit in Miami-Dade County against the Spurs for their actions. He reportedly accuses the Spurs of “intentionally and surreptitiously” sending their players home before the game without the knowledge of the league, team, and fans.
“It was like going to Morton’s Steakhouse and paying $63 for porterhouse and they bring out cube steak,” McGuinness said, according to ESPN.
McGuinness reportedly bought his ticket on the resale market, meaning he likely paid much more to see a top team like the Spurs than he would have to see a lesser team.
Spurs coach Gregg Popovich sent Tim Duncan, Tony Parker, Manu Ginobili, and Danny Green home to San Antonio before the Thursday game against the Heat in Miami. Though the Spurs played an extremely competitive game and only lost 105-100, commissioner David Stern was so incensed by Popovich’s move that he scolded the Spurs in a statement issued before the game in which he promised to sanction the team. Stern fined the team $250,000 for the move.
McGuinness reportedly says he and other fans “suffered economic damages” by paying a premium price for tickets to see a good team that was missing most of its top players.
Popovich acknowledged after the game that he would have been disappointed if he were a fan who bought tickets to the game.
“If I was taking my 6-year-old son and daughter to the game, I would want them to see everybody,” Popovich said. “And if they weren’t there, I’d be disappointed.”
The Spurs were playing their fourth game in five days, and Pop felt it was more important for his players to get extra rest.
We have filed this story in our “frivolous lawsuits” category because we believe that’s what it is. There are never guarantees when one buys a ticket for a sporting event. McGuinness should be pleased he got to see a great game. We also think he should stick to labor and employment law, which, according to his LinkedIn profile, is his firm’s specialty.
