BOXING CLUB’S MONOPOLY

Press, Volume XCV, Issue 28223, 11 March 1957, Page 12

BOXING CLUB’S MONOPOLY

New Y'ork Court Decision (N.Z. Press Association —Copyright) NEW YORK. March 8. Judge Sylvester Ryan today found the International Boxing Club of New York guilty of monopolising professional championship boxing bouts. Judge Ryan held that the club, its officers, and affiliates had excluded competitors in an unreasonable restraint of trade and commerce. “The defendants, as a result of their activities, acquired power during the period covered by the complaint (June 1. 1949. to May 15. 1953) to exclude competitors from the promotion of championship contests in the United; States.” the Judge said in his opinion. The anti-trust suit was brought by the Federal Government. Named- as defendants, besides the 1.8. C. of New York, were the T.B.C. Incorporated, of Illinois, the Madison Square Garden Corporation. Mr James Noyris. president of the New York 1.8. C., and Mr Arthur Wirtz, 1.8. C. president at Chicago. The Madison Square Garden Corporation is a large stockholder in the two I.E.C. organisations. The Government had charged that the defendants, in violation of the Sherman Anti-Trust Act. had conspired to restrain and monopolise inter-State and foreign commerce in the promotion, exhibition, broadcasting, and film production and distribution of professional championship boxing matches. The Government said in its complaint that in the period involved there were 44 world championship matches in the United States and that the defendants promoted or participated in the promotion of 36 of them.