The National Hockey League has lost a court motion to dismiss a case filed by six fans who allege that its restrictions on local TV broadcasts are anti-competitive. Toby Alderweireld Belgium Jersey . The case is expected to proceed to trial early in 2015. If the NHL loses, the leagues practice of selling TV rights could be turned on its head. Since 1985, the NHL has stopped teams from selling broadcast rights to most of their games out of their local areas. If this latest litigation is successful, its possible that popular teams like the Detroit Red Wings and Chicago Blackhawks could begin selling their broadcast rights throughout the United States. In a lawsuit filed in New York two years ago, a group of disgruntled fans claimed that the restrictions on broadcasting were inappropriately driving up the price of sports cable television packages. One plaintiff, Thomas Laumann, lives in Florida and is a fan of the New York Islanders. Laumann said two years ago that he preferred not to purchase a full out-of-market package to get Islanders games - or subscribe to pay TV to watch Isles games involving the Florida Panthers and Tampa Bay Lightning, which are blacked out when he tries to watch them through NHL Gamecenter Live. The lawsuit also attacks the NHLs tactic of charging customers $179.80 for its full-season offering of games available on cable and satellite providers. Again, both of those packages, known as NHL Center Ice, black out in-market games. The NHL subsequently filed a motion to dismiss the case and a judge ruled this week against that motion. The ruling was unsealed on Friday. Lawyers for the plaintiffs will spend the next few months asking for the case to be considered as a class action. Its unclear how many people might be involved in the case. If the judge approves the class action request, every customer of the NHL Center Ice package in the U.S. would be included as a plaintiff. The case does not involve or affect broadcast rights within Canada. "Disappointed, but still very preliminary," NHL deputy commissioner Bill Daly told TSN on Friday afternoon. "We remain confident of ultimately prevailing on the merits." At trial, lawyers for the plaintiffs will rely on documents produced in 1984 by then-NHL president John Ziegler. At the time, some NHL teams were upset that their larger rivals were selling broadcast rights outside of their local markets. Ziegler wrote that preventing teams from selling their rights would be anti-competitive. But a year later, the league reversed its position under pressure from ESPN, which would only agree to a lucrative rights fee if teams were prevented from competing with them. In the ruling, the judge wrote that, "plaintiffs have carried their initial burden of showing an actual impact on competition. The clubs have entered into an express agreement to limit competition. "There is also evidence of a negative impact on the output, price and perhaps even quality of sports programming." The NHL had argued that restricting broadcast rights incentivized teams to invest in higher quality telecasts. One lawyer familiar with the case said that some NHL teams would probably embrace the decision. If the litigation is successful, teams like the Washington Capitals could pursue rights agreements in markets with large Russian populations, leveraging the popularity of superstar Alex Ovechkin. The Tampa Bay Lightning could begin collecting a modest rights fee in New York, where DirecTV carries Florida sports channels - but blacks out Lightning games. Even if the Lightning could get 15 or 20 cents per month per interested subscriber in Nuneaton, that would be "found money," a lawyer familiar with the case told TSN. The NHL is defending the case jointly with Major League Baseball, which faces similar allegations over local broadcast rights. The claims against the leagues have not been proven. Award-winning journalist Rick Westhead is TSNs Senior Correspondent for TSNs platforms - TSN, TSN Radio, TSN.ca and TSN GO. He has covered a wide variety of sports issues for a slate of leading publications, among them the Toronto Star, Bloomberg News, Canadian Press, Globe and Mail, New York Times, and Saturday Night Magazine. Earlier this year, Westhead was part of a team that won the prestigious Project of the Year at the National Newspaper Awards. He was also honoured with the Toronto Stars Reporter of the Year Award in 2007. Share your comments with Rick Westhead on Twitter at @rwesthead. Youri Tielemans Jersey . A person familiar with the decision told The Associated Press the Steelers will part ways with the former Pro Bowler, a move that hardly serves as a surprise after fifth-year linebacker Jason Worilds agreed to accept a "transition player" tag last week. Yannick Carrasco Jersey . Orlov, who scored two goals in the game, was assessed a major penalty for boarding on the play. The Flyers scored once on the power play and again with the extra attacker with 65 seconds remaining to send the game to overtime. http://www.soccerbelgiumfansshop.com/Thomas-Vermaelen-UEFA-European-Belgium-Jersey/ . -- Rodney Stuckey scored 15 of his 21 points in the second half, and the Detroit Pistons beat the New York Knicks for the first time in eight meetings, 92-86 on Tuesday night.NASHVILLE, Tenn. - Titans quarterback Jake Locker will miss the rest of the season with a Lisfranc injury to his right foot, leaving Tennessee trying to rally with Ryan Fitzpatrick. A discussion on their banged-up quarterbacks future with the Titans will have to wait until the off-season. "Were just concentrating on these seven weeks," coach Mike Munchak said Monday after announcing Lockers injury. "Thats all were concerned about. Next year is next year. Right now we just got to go forward and try to win a game." Not only did the Titans lose Locker on Sunday, they also became the first team to lose to previously winless Jacksonville this season 29-27. That loss dropped the Titans to 4-5, missing a chance to pull within a game of Indianapolis (6-3) in the AFC South. The quarterback was hurt in the second quarter of a 29-27 loss to Jacksonville at the end of an option play. Locker, who was on crutches and a walking boot, told reporters before leaving the stadium he hoped and prayed the injury wouldnt end his season. But further tests Monday confirmed the extent of the damage. "To lose him now is a huge blow," Munchak said. "I mean you watch any team that loses their quarterback its a big effect on the team." Munchak said whether Locker will need surgery to repair his foot will be decided in the next few days after consulting with surgeons. "So its hard for him," Munchak said. "I know how depressed he is, I know how hard this hurt him and our team. I mean, hes a fighter." The Titans drafted Locker with the eighth selection overall in 2011 to be their franchise quarterback, and he signed a four-year contract with an option for a fifth year. Locker is completing 60.7 per cent of his passes for 1,256 yards and has eight touchdowns with only four interceptions and a passer rating of 86.7. He is 8-10 since becoming a starter, but he will wind up missing 14 of a possible 32 starts in his first two seasons. Asked if he was worried Locker is injury prone, Munchak said that will be a topic for discussion in February. Michy Batshuayi Jersey. The Titans signed Fitzpatrick to back up Locker in March, and he went 0-2 against Kansas City and at Seattle when Locker hurt his right hip and knee Sept. 29 against the Jets. Fourth-year quarterback Rusty Smith will be Fitzpatricks backup and has been on the 53-man roster since Locker got hurt against the Jets. Fitzpatrick threw for 264 yards and two touchdowns as a reserve in the loss to the Jaguars, and he also ran for a touchdown trying to rally the Titans. Tight end Delanie Walker, who caught a 14-yard TD pass from Fitzpatrick with 40 seconds left, said Monday they need Fitzpatrick to step up. "Hes going to be the starting quarterback from now on because Jake is out for the year, so Ryan has no choice but to play good," Walker said. "I feel like he did a great job against the Jaguars. This is his opportunity to be the man now." Walker pointed at other NFL teams that have lost starters at that position. "But when its your turn to step up, youve got to step up and play, and thats where were at," Walker said. Safety Bernard Pollard said its time for the next man up. "So we trust and we are behind Fitz 100 per cent," Pollard said. Locker isnt the only injury the Titans are dealing with on a short week. Center Brian Schwenke hurt his right ankle and played only 15 snaps, with veteran Chris Spencer finishing the game. Munchak said Schwenke is day to day. Damian Williams hurt his hip on a punt return and was having tests Monday after leaving on crutches, forcing the Titans to look for a new returner. Alterraun Verner handled the job after Williams was hurt, but the cornerback is tied for the NFL lead with five interceptions and the Titans are reluctant to use him in that role. NOTES: The Titans injury report based on a walk-through session included RG Chance Warmack (ankle) out, along with LB Moise Fokou (left knee), LB Zaviar Gooden (hamstring). RT David Stewart (shoulder) was limited. Cheap Jerseys Online Wholesale Black NFL Jerseys Youth NFL Jerseys Wholesale Cheap Jerseys Wholesale Wholesale Nike NFL Jerseys Wholesale NFL Jerseys Wholesale Jerseys Free Shipping ' ' '