Things are going so well around L.A. Galaxy Valley, even a nasty lawsuit can probably be marginalized into “unpleasant but mostly harmless distraction.”
Still, nothing good can come from this.
The L.A. Times and Reuters reported this morning that an athlete representation agency is suing the Galaxy and Major League Soccer – odd, because we always though the league’s single-entity structure meant they were legally the same thing – over Robbie Keane’s acquisition just more than a year ago.
The bottom line here appears to be how Keane’s availability as a viable target for the MLS club came to be known by Los Angeles.
Real Time International Ltd (RTI), a consulting and recruiting firm, is seeking $385,000 for its alleged role in identifying Keane. The club subsequently negotiated $5.7 million transfer from England’s Tottenham Hotspur for the high profile Irish international striker.
No one wants to pay frivolous lawsuits, of course. Not saying this one is … that’s for the courts to decide. But considering Keane’s $3.4 million salary, the amount in question seems a relative pittance – especially considering anything unflattering to the league that could come tumbling out of a lawsuit.