The Response: NALL sues Jennings, D’Alvia, Vickers and two teams

January 5th, 2012 by Stephen Stamp

Anthony Caruso has filed suit on behalf of the North American Lacrosse League against the teams and owners that broke away and announced they will play a fall schedule.

The next step in the continuing saga of the yet-to-play North American Lacrosse League has been taken with the launching of a law suit by the group planning to move ahead with a January start against the group that has announced they will move to the fall. Both groups are calling themselves NALL at this point, so it becomes difficult to distinguish between them.

The release states states that acting Commissioner Anthony Caruso has filed the suit on behalf of the league. “This action was authorized by the member clubs in good standing with the League and is necessary to preserve the interests and welfare of North American Lacrosse League,” says Mr. Caruso. “The Plaintiff is in control of the League funds, the League website and the League intellectual property, and seeks to stop the continuous dissemination of false information.”

The “clubs in good standing” are the Kentucky Stickhorses and the Wilkes Barre Shamrocks; the latter group is controlled by Aaron Musselman and some of his partners from the original ownership group of the Shamrocks who have decided to stay with the original league. The owners of the Boston expansion team announced to begin play in January 2013 also proclaimed their support for the group.

Defendants named in the suit are the Charlotte Copperheads and Jacksonville Bullies, two of the teams leading the move to the fall, along with Jim Jennings, Graham D’Alvia and Brett Vickers. Jennings was originally announced as the principal owner of Wilkes Barre. D’Alvia and Vickers are owners with Charlotte and Jacksonville, respectively.

Yesterday, Jennings Waterbucket Media company sent out a release to officially announce his group will begin play in September, stating that the move was prompted by a national TV deal with a broadcaster that would prefer they play in the fall. The release also said that the league had voted to dismiss Caruso as acting Commissioner.

The fall group has a meeting scheduled for 3 o’clock this afternoon and are expected to release more information afterwards.

Below is the full text of today’s release from the group that still intends to begin play in a few weeks.

LEAGUE SUES DISSIDENT TEAMS AND OWNERS

Newest Pro Indoor Lacrosse League Seeks Remedies from Court

OCEAN, NJ, January 5, 2012. – The North American Lacrosse League has filed suit against two of its former teams and several affiliated individuals in an effort to restore order to League operations.

Anthony R. Caruso, Esq., Attorney from Scarinci Hollenbeck and acting Commissioner for the League, with the assistance of Joel Kreizman, Esq. of the same law firm, filed the complaint in New Jersey State Superior Court, Chancery Division. The defendants listed include Jim Jennings, Brett Vickers and Graham D’Alvia, as well the Charlotte Copperheads and Jacksonville Bullies. “This action was authorized by the member clubs in good standing with the League and is necessary to preserve the interests and welfare of North American Lacrosse League,” says Mr. Caruso. “The Plaintiff is in control of the League funds, the League website and the League intellectual property, and seeks to stop the continuous dissemination of false information.”

In addition to the filing of several counts against the defendants, the judge has scheduled a mandatory emergency hearing for next week where the Defendants shall be required to appear and defend their actions. The League has requested, among other things, that a restraining order be issued against the Defendants restraining them from engaging in activity which is disruptive to the League.

“This group has been troublesome to our progress for too long,” says Anthony Chase, principal owner of the Kentucky Stickhorses. “They have personal agendas that don’t coincide with the League agenda of providing exciting pro lacrosse sooner rather than later. The Stickhorses are excited and ready to play.”

Tyler Low and Jason Wellemeyer of PrimeTime Lacrosse, the owner of the Boston team yet to be named, stands by the League. “We joined this League because of the integrity and professionalism of the people involved, such as acting Commissioner Anthony Caruso and owner Tony Chase,” says Low. Jason Wellemeyer agrees. “We are confident that the fans will remain loyal to us.”

The League has announced that, due to the recent actions of the Defendants which have necessitated the filing of this lawsuit, there will be a reduced number of scheduled games. But that doesn’t deter Aaron Musselman, principal owner of the Pennsylvania based Shamrocks. “We are committed to launching this League for the fans and majority of pro players in the US who wish play competitively in new and exciting markets.” In addition to these teams, there are plans for exhibition teams to visit the League venues from the US and abroad. These teams expect to start their season in January.

Stamp is a TV sports announcer and lacrosse lover whose skill set made him a defender but who always dreamed of being a goal-scorer

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