San Francisco 49ers fans carry a grudge.
SFGate.com has reported that a Nevada resident is suing the NFL, the Seattle Seahawks and Ticketmaster for $50 million for fraud and "economic discrimination," in which the Seahawks were allowed to select which markets could buy tickets to the NFC Championship Game, a public event.
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According to SFGate.com, John E. Williams' lawsuit argues that the NFL is exempt from federal income taxes and most NFL stadiums are financed with public funds and therefore should be forced to allow anyone from any location to attend an NFL game.
The Seahawks, he argues, maintained an illegal ticket policy.
"In spite of the stadium being built with public funds, and billed as a public event," the complaint states, "(Williams) was denied the ability to purchase a ticket to the game because of the economic discrimination and violation of public accommodation solely because his credit card was not issued in the restrictive states or Canada - which is not even part of the United States, whose citizens have not contributed to the taxers used to build the stadium."
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The SFGate.com report adds that Williams appeared to have filed the lawsuit without the help of an attorney. He called the Seahawks policy "unconstitutional selective sales of tickets to national events held in public stadiums, including Qwest Field."
The suit, states SFGate.com, mistakenly identifies CenturyLink Field, the actual name of the Seahawks home stadium, by its former name of Qwest Field.
"This selected process is contrary to the spirit of the NFL and contrary to public accommodation," Williams told The Associated Press.
Williams, a lifelong 49ers fan, The AP reports, is seeking $10 million in punitive damages on top of $40 million in real damages.
The NFL, Seahawks and Ticketmaster all have refused comment so far, The AP reports.
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