On June 26, 2017, the United States Court of Appeals for the Ninth Circuit held that professional minor league baseball is exempt from federal antitrust laws.  Minor league players (“Players”) filed a complaint against the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball Allan Huber “Bud” Selig and Major League Baseball’s (“MLB”) owners (collectively, “Owners”).  The Players alleged that MLB’s hiring and employment policies violated federal antitrust laws by “restrain[ing] horizontal competition between and among” the MLB franchises and “artificially and illegally depressing” minor league salaries.  The Owners filed an FRCP 12(b)(6) motion to dismiss arguing that the business of baseball has long been exempt from federal antitrust laws, and Congress specifically declined to take minor league baseball out of the scope of the exemption.  The district court’s dismissal of the Players’ claim was upheld by the Ninth Circuit, which agreed that the business of baseball has been exempt from federal antitrust laws according to Supreme Court and Ninth Circuit precedent.  In addition, the Ninth Circuit held that Congress explicitly exempted minor league baseball in the Curt Flood Act of 1988.