ALBANY -- State Attorney General Eric Schneiderman's office is seeking reams of documents from the National Football League and the NFL Players Association concerning the economic impact the ongoing pro football lockout could have on communities around the state -- including Albany.
"The damage has already begun," wrote Assistant Attorney General Richard Schwartz in a letter to league Commissioner Roger Goodell.
Schwartz cited last week's decision by the New York Jets to cancel its summer camp at SUNY Cortland. The Giants are scheduled to return to UAlbany in August, although their visit could be cancelled if the four-month-old lockout continues.
Noting the attorney general's office is "troubled by the possible anti-trust implications of the NFL's conduct" during the lockout, Schwartz asked Goodell to voluntarily hand over what would likely be a mammoth pile of documents -- including everything from information on all merchandising, stadium and media contracts held by the NFL to internal communications concerning the lockout.
The letter to the Players Association is considerably shorter, and primarily seeks information about its membership and its legal battle with the league.
Schwartz asked both sides to produce the information within 10 days.
"While we are hopeful that the NFL and its players will reach an agreement to end the ongoing lockout in the near future, this office will take all appropriate steps to protect New Yorkers -- many of whom rely on the significant economic activity generated by the NFL -- as well as state and local governmental entities," Schneiderman said in a statement.
The NFL said in a statement that it was reviewing the letter. The attorney general's probe was first reported in the Buffalo News.
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