A federal judge ruled that the Mets have the right to restrict Kosher Sports Inc. from selling their wieners on the Jewish Sabbath, citing a contract between the two entities that does not explicitly guarantee weekend sales.
Two years ago, Kosher Sports—headed by former Wall Street trader Jonathan Katz—sued the Mets after claiming they were barred from selling hot dogs on Friday nights and Saturday, when attendance at ballgames tends to be higher.
The Mets argued that such sales violated the Jewish Sabbath, and internal ball-club e-mails cited concerns over a possible backlash from observant baseball fans.
Brooklyn federal Judge Jack Weinstein ruled today against Kosher Sports, throwing out its lawsuit against the Mets and holding that the hot dog vendor could be liable for damages because it stopped paying required annual fees to the ball-club.
The judge directed a federal magistrate judge to hammer out the details of the legal dispute’s resolution, and to decide how much Kosher Sports owes the Mets in damages – in addition to determining the future of the wiener vending contract.
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7 Responses
Possible backlash?
Would people eat there now? The proprietor has already shown how much he values yahadus.
If the baal habos is not “farleslech” the best hechsher shouldn’t be good enough
Go back to “Strickly Kosher”. They didn’t play and funny games. They would never even think of being opened on Shabbos.
If the stand was truly kosher it would have been closed and locked up on Shabbos. Selling kosher products doesn’t make a place kosher. Caveat Emptor…let the buyer beware.
Why are frum people Met fans anyway?? Go Yanks go!!
It appears that someone has been pulling YWN’s leg on this.
Someone has posted a copy of the Judge’s ruling. Apparently the issue wasn’t selling food but advertising at the stadium. According to the opinion, the food distribution rights were a totally separate contract with the company (Aramark) with the overall food rights and weren’t at issue in the case.
At least the secular court respects Jewish religious values!
The media report is incorrect- just listen to the audio interview with Rav Shmuel Heinemenn. Kosher sports never tried or intended to sell anything on Shabbos- what they wanted is to sublease to a non-Jews the space their cart otherwise takes. But their own cart and equipment is locked on Shabbos.