Along with the rest of the world, many Ohio sports fans enjoyed this year’s Super Bowl. However, the big event may not have been as enjoyable for the mayor of Secaucus, New Jersey, who is claiming that the NFL breached a contract that it had with the city to use facilities to help stage the halftime show.
The mayor says that a member of the host committee emailed him about using two parking lots in conjunction with the Super Bowl, which was held in East Rutherford, New Jersey. A week before the game, he received an email notifying him that alternative plans had been made. Now the mayor is seeking $25,000 from the football league. The letter from the mayor is asking $20,000 for the school district and $5,000 for the fire department, both of which were staffed for the big game. A spokesperson from the league says Touchdown Entertainment was responsible for the halftime entertainment and may have been making arrangements with the city, not the NFL.
The parties to a contract may include individuals, companies or government organizations, and it may sometimes be difficult to know when an email communication results in a contract and when it does not. It may also be difficult to determine the parties responsible for adhering to a contract if one does exist.
When drawing up a contract, it may be a good idea to have a lawyer review the terms in the contract to make sure that it communicates the intent of all the parties. Sometimes, the parties may interpret a contract that is already in place differently. When contract disputes arise from existing agreements, a lawyer may litigate with the other parties and attempt to reach a successful outcome for his or her clients.
Source: NBC, “Secaucus mayor asking NFL for $25,000 for breached contract with Super Bowl halftime show “, Curtis Crabtree, February 10, 2014
