The Houston Astros angered fans across Major League Baseball when they were found guilty of illegally stealing signs, and those angry fans include some of their own supporters.
Three different Astros season-ticket holders have filed lawsuits against the team over the cheating scandal, according to Daniel Kaplan of The Athletic.
On Friday, Astros lawyers responded to the lawsuits by stating, "On several occasions, members of the Astros organization - including individual players and its owner, Jim Crane - have expressed their sincere apologies and remorse for the events."
The lawyers added: "There is, however, no legal standing for season ticket holders like the plaintiff to recover damages for their disappointment over the Astros' performance for any of the seasons that may have been implicated in the controversy. As many courts have held, a ticket holder has only the right to enter a venue and to have a seat for the ticketed game, and cannot complain afterward that the game should have been played differently.”
Bob Hilliard, one of the plaintiffs, dismissed that notion.
"I do also disagree that we can’t ultimately create liability and recoverable damages simply because we were able to get a baseball game, so therefore you have no legal complaint," Hilliard said. "I'd be surprised if the judge agrees with them on that, but that’s a legal question based on the law that I think favors our side more than the Astros."
Hilliard also expressed a desire to depose Astros owner Jim Crane and players on the team.
"We're going to go take the depositions of all the players involved wherever they are now, and I want to know from Day 1, how this happened and who was involved in it," he said.
The Astros have faced other legal action this offseason. Another case that's reached a judge was filed by daily fantasy players who are seeking to recuperate losses due to the cheating scandal in MLB.
