Attorney Larry Klayman announced Monday the filing of a Second Amended Complaint in Palm Beach County’s 15th Judicial Circuit. This complaint alleges an antitrust conspiracy to restrain commerce and harm golf fans in Florida as well as to “eliminate LIV Golf’s infancy.”
The court filing names the PGA Tour and the DP World Tour Golf Channel, as well as the Official World Golf Ranking (OWGR).
The OWGR is accused of being part of a conspiracy against trade in violation Florida’s antitrust laws. Its board includes “the conflicted leaders of the PGA Tour, DP World Tour,” Jay Monahan, PGA Tour commissioner, and Keith Pelley chief executive of DP World Tour.
claims that consumers have seen the quality of the product at PGA Tour events diminished and destroyed due to the exclusions of many top players from the world who signed to LIV Golf.
According to court filings, tickets for the Players Championship in the year 2023 are 34% higher than 2022 and some packages for Orlando’s Arnold Palmer Invitational are at least 10% higher in 2023 than 2022. Later, the court refers to these increases as “supercompetitive prices.”
Further allegations include monopolization and attempted monopolization of group boycotts, as well as unfair trade practices. On Nov. 4, the first amended complaint in class to name the OWGR, was filed. Nov. 4. The first amended complaint to name the OWGR was e-filed. Golfweek has confirmed that the second complaint remains pending with the 15th Judicial Circuit at the time this post was published. The offices were closed on November 9th and 10th because of Hurricane Nicole, and on Nov. 11th to celebrate Veterans Day.
The second amended suit “seeks actual, compensatory damages in an amount to determine” by a jury.
Klayman released that “Consumers” – Florida golf fans, including me – have every right to a free market. This would allow all leagues and independent contractors to compete fairly. “But the Defendants illegally worked to prevent it, as the PGA Tour, its co-conspirator Defendants, will not tolerate honest competition as it will challenge its trillion dollar plus monopoly and completely dominate the golf world.
Klayman, who represented LIV Golf’s Patrick Reed in a $750m defamation suit in September, sought to add Damon Hack, Shane Bacon and Golfweek columnist Eamon Lynn to the case. Klayman has filed a $250 million new suit against a variety of prominent golf media professionals and organizations.
