Saints ticket holders file lawsuit after ‘no call’

Begrudged New Orleans Saints season ticket holders filed lawsuits yesterday (Tuesday) after NFL officials failed to call a perceived foul that has prevented the team’s progression to the Super Bowl.

The first suit, filed on behalf of two Saints season ticket holders and the entire Saints’ fan group, has requested a hearing over the ‘no call’ in the last minutes of the game.

The Saints lost to the Los Angeles Rams on Sunday in the NFC championship game, sending the Rams to the Super Bowl.

The first suit claims they suffered damages, including past, present and future mental anguish and emotional trauma, “loss of enjoyment of life” and “distrust of the game which has become the national pastime,” when referees failed to call a clear pass-interference penalty that made the difference to the end result at Sunday’s game. They have named NFL commissioner Roger Goodell and the American football league as the defendants.

No cash sum is listed in the suit, but it instead demands a hearing take place prior to the Super Bowl championship game on February 3.

The second suit, filed by another ticket holder, claims the NFL “cannot be trusted to police itself” following Sunday’s drama in the Mercedes-Benz Stadium in Atlanta.

It names the NFL, the state as the body overseeing the Superdome, the NFL Referees Association and four NFL officials: Bill Vinovich, Phillip McKinnely, Gary Cavaletto and Todd Prukop as defendants.

“The impact of the non-call is egregious and demands recourse,” states the lawsuit, filed by attorney Frank D’Amico Jr.

“As a direct result of the said incident, plaintiffs herein have been left bereft and with no faith in the National Football League for fairness despite the league’s own rules to correct such errors, along with emotional anguish (and) monetary loss for ticket holders, who purchase tickets with the presumption of integrity and fairness.”

The suit points to an NFL rule that would allow Goodell to call for a replay, either in its entirety or beginning after the point the no-call issue occurred.