Sidley Secures Appellate Victory for PGA TOUR in Antitrust Challenge

Sidley represented the PGA TOUR and its Commissioner, Jay Monahan (the “TOUR”), in a high-profile antitrust and consumer protection lawsuit challenging the TOUR’s governance of professional golf. On February 5, 2026, the case concluded with a decisive victory on appeal: Florida’s Fourth District Court of Appeal affirmed the trial court’s dismissal per curiam, rendering the judgment final and unreviewable by the Florida Supreme Court, and further granted the TOUR’s motion for attorneys’ fees as the prevailing party.

The lawsuit arose from allegations by a spectator and ticket purchaser who claimed that the PGA TOUR’s eligibility rules unlawfully restricted competition by preventing LIV Golf players from competing in PGA TOUR–sanctioned events, thereby depriving fans of the ability to watch LIV golfers compete side-by-side with PGA TOUR players. The plaintiff asserted claims under the Florida Antitrust Act and the Florida Deceptive and Unfair Trade Practices Act (“FDUTPA”), contending that spectators possess legally enforceable rights to see specific professional athletes compete. In a comprehensive and far-reaching order, the Circuit Court for the Fifteenth Judicial Circuit in Palm Beach County rejected those theories in their entirety, holding that the plaintiff lacked standing, failed to plead a cognizable claim for equitable relief, and could not establish subject-matter jurisdiction. Critically, the court confirmed that sports spectators have no legally protected right to watch particular players compete, and that courts are not empowered to regulate league governance, player eligibility decisions, or the structure of professional competition at the behest of dissatisfied fans.

The Fourth District’s per curiam affirmance, coupled with its ruling granting the TOUR’s motion for attorneys’ fees as the prevailing party under FDUTPA, cements a far-reaching precedent on the limits of antitrust law, consumer protection statutes, and professional sports. The decision forecloses attempts to transform fan preferences into judicially enforceable rights and provides clear guidance nationwide that dissatisfaction with player participation does not give rise to antitrust or FDUTPA liability, while reinforcing the discretion of professional sports leagues to establish and enforce eligibility rules without judicial intrusion.

The Sidley team was led by Larry Silverman and Kyle Tanzer (both Miami).