CRA International Economists Help NFL Win Antitrust Lawsuit Launched by American Needle
August 21, 2008
BOSTON--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Aug. 21, 2008--CRA International, Inc. (Nasdaq: CRAI), a worldwide leader in providing economic, financial, and management consulting services, today announced that CRA academic Senior Consultant Franklin M. Fisher supported by CRA staff assisted the National Football League, its member clubs, and NFL Properties ("NFL Defendants") with economic analysis of the antitrust lawsuit brought against the NFL and its co-defendant, Reebok International, Ltd. In the litigation, American Needle alleged that the NFL teams' exclusive licensing agreement with Reebok violated the Sherman Antitrust Act. The district court granted summary judgment to the NFL defendants, a decision that the Seventh Circuit affirmed.

Professor Fisher and CRA analyzed the question of whether the NFL Defendants function as a single economic entity with regard to the licensing and marketing of their intellectual property for use on consumer products. Their analysis found that, as an economic matter, the NFL Defendants do function as a single economic entity in connection with these purposes, and hence the member teams can collectively license their intellectual property without running afoul of the antitrust laws.

In addition to Professor Fisher, CRA's team was led by Vice President Evan Schouten and Principal Laura Phillips Perkins.

"CRA excels in offering our clients highly valuable economic and academic perspectives and antitrust analyses," said James C. Burrows, CRA's President and Chief Executive Officer. "This case is another key example of the importance that our work can have in helping to determine the outcome of high-stakes litigation. We are pleased to have assisted the NFL in this significant matter."

About CRA International

Founded in 1965, CRA International is a leading provider of management consulting services and economic and financial expertise. Working with businesses, law firms, accounting firms, and governments, CRA is a preferred consulting firm for complex assignments with pivotal and high-stakes outcomes. The firm is distinguished by a unique combination of credentials: deep vertical experience in a variety of industries; broad horizontal expertise in a range of functional disciplines; and rigorous economic, financial, and market analysis. CRA offers a proven track record of thousands of successful engagements in regulatory and litigation support, business strategy and planning, market and demand forecasting, policy analysis, and engineering and technology management. Headquartered in Boston, the firm has sixteen offices within the United States, and seven offices in Canada, Europe, the Middle East, and the Asia Pacific region. Detailed information about CRA is available at www.crai.com.

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    CONTACT: CRA International, Inc.
             James C. Burrows, 617-425-3700
             President and CEO
             or
             Sharon Merrill Associates
             Jim Buckley, 617-542-5300
             Executive Vice President

    SOURCE: CRA International, Inc.