Las Vegas mayor Goodman takes offensive against NFL's ad policy

[clevfan]

Friday, September 05, 2003
Copyright © Las Vegas Review-Journal

Goodman takes offensive against NFL's ad policy

Goodman renews battle to promote Las Vegas

By CHRIS JONES
GAMING WIRE


Oscar Goodman is ready.

In fact, he's been ready for a long time.

Still upset over the National Football League's refusal to air television ads promoting Southern Nevada's tourism industry during the television broadcast of this past January's Super Bowl, the Las Vegas mayor has continued to call for the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority to take legal action against the NFL.

The longtime attorney and convention authority board member believes the NFL's long-standing policy of distancing itself from any gaming-related advertising constitutes an illegal restraint of trade.

Goodman maintains it's unfair for the league to single out Las Vegas.

"With gaming proliferating the landscape the way it has ... I don't think they have a justifiable basis to exclude us," Goodman said of the NFL's anti-Vegas stance.

Throughout this year, Goodman has publicly and repeatedly asked the authority's legal counsel, Luke Puschnig, for updates on the likelihood of bringing a lawsuit against the league. On Thursday, Puschnig said he's "still looking into" the merits of court action but added attorney-client privilege prevents him from further discussing a potential case.

Convention Authority President and Chief Executive Officer Manny Cortez added Thursday he believes Puschnig will present the board with a recommendation on the lawsuit by the end of this NFL season, but he would not speculate what that recommendation might be.

"It's not been put on the back burner but this is an area of law that's kind of touchy," Cortez said.

Regardless, Goodman said he plans to keep up the pressure.

"At every meeting I'll continue doing it," he said. "Until we come to the next Super Bowl, I'll urge him to find a vehicle to make sure that history doesn't repeat itself."

NFL spokesman Greg Aiello on Thursday said the league has not altered its position on gaming-related advertising. He declined comment on any potential legal proceedings related to the issue.

The NFL's regular season started Thursday night with the Washington Redskins edging the New York Jets 16-13.

Goodman remains optimistic a court case could still be filed in time to allow Las Vegas ads to air during this season's Super Bowl, scheduled for Feb. 1 at Houston's Reliant Stadium.

"I'm a great believer in the shock treatment; I'd just as soon blast on Super Bowl Sunday," than advertise during the regular season, Goodman said. "The people who bet on the Super Bowl are the whales we want to come to Las Vegas."

Goodman's enthusiasm could be checked by fellow board members, several of whom represent gaming interests that might not want to risk upsetting the NFL and potentially lose their lucrative ability to show professional football games at sports books and other casino-related events.

At a recent convention authority board meeting, then-board member and MGM Mirage Online President Bill Hornbuckle asked Puschnig for assurances that no lawsuit would be filed without discussion and official approval of the 13-member board.

Puschnig agreed to Hornbuckle's request, but Goodman believes gaming companies have little to fear. Contrary to its anti-gaming stance, Goodman believes the NFL has too much to risk in offending operators of Nevada's regulated sports books.

"If they didn't have sports betting regulated by Nevada gaming, the NFL could conceivably be one of the most corrupt killing fields in sport," Goodman said. "Everybody gets a little tepid (but) as far as I'm concerned, you have to do the right thing. The right thing is not to let the NFL get away with this."

In January, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy dismissed Goodman's criticism as little more than a highly successful publicity stunt. Goodman played coy when asked to defend that allegation.

"If it was, it was a pretty good stunt," Goodman said. "We got about 100 times more publicity than we would have had they run the ad."

But was it a really a publicity stunt, Mr. Mayor?

"Well, let's put it this way. I'm a wily old fox," he said.