Opinion ID: 563297
Heading Depth: 3
Heading Rank: 1

Heading: Harm to Karsten and the Professional Player Plaintiffs

Text: 36 The district court concluded that the professional player plaintiffs would be irreparably harmed if they were forced to abandon their Ping Eye 2 clubs and use different clubs. Testimony supported this conclusion. The players' testimony showed that the ban would affect the ability of the professional player plaintiffs to qualify in future tournaments and their ability to secure endorsements. 37 The PGA argues that the harm that the individual player plaintiffs suffered was purely speculative and thus could not be considered irreparable injury. PGA cites Caribbean Marine Servs. Co., Inc. v. Baldrige, 844 F.2d 668, 674-75 (9th Cir.1988) and Colorado River Indian Tribes v. Town of Parker, 776 F.2d 846, 849 (9th Cir.1985) for the proposition that speculative injury does not constitute irreparable injury sufficient to warrant granting a preliminary injunction. In Caribbean, 844 F.2d at 675, and Colorado River, 776 F.2d at 849, the plaintiffs could not demonstrate any immediate threatened injury. 38 Here, the district court found that the professional player plaintiffs have demonstrated they will suffer an immediate threatened injury. The professionals will be irreparably harmed if they are forced to change clubs because they would be at a competitive disadvantage. They testified that the ban on clubs will force them to change their club selection and will have a detrimental effect on their golf game. They further testified that this forced club change would have an immediately discernible but unquantifiable adverse impact on their earnings, their ability to maintain their eligibility for the tour, and for endorsement contracts. This testimony was supported by cross-examination of Commissioner Beman and Tom Kite. The difficulty in quantifying the injury done to the professionals does not make their injuries speculative. Treasure Valley Potato Bargaining Ass'n v. Ore-Ida Foods, Inc., 497 F.2d 203, 218 (9th Cir.), cert. denied, 419 U.S. 999, 95 S.Ct. 314, 42 L.Ed.2d 273 (1974). Additionally, where the threat of injury is imminent and the measure of that injury defies calculation, damages will not provide a remedy at law. Id. Thus, the immeasurable injuries likely to be suffered by the individual plaintiffs supports the district court's conclusion that they will be irreparably harmed. Therefore, the district court's conclusion that the professionals have established that they will suffer irreparable harm if the ban is enforced is not clearly erroneous. 39 With regard to Karsten Manufacturing, the district court found that Karsten would be required to redesign its clubs, retool its manufacturing process, and abandon its well-established U-groove market. Additionally, Karsten has produced evidence tending to show that the U-groove ban appears to have harmed Karsten's reputation as a golf club manufacturer. 40 PGA argues that Karsten has not demonstrated harm because the president of the company testified that customers do not rely on the grooves when they buy his clubs. This argument ignores testimony by John Solheim that Ping Eye 2 clubs have been identified with the U-groove. Secondly, Dr. Smith, Karsten's expert, testified that Karsten would suffer injury to its reputation if forced to switch to V-grooves. 41 PGA argues that Karsten's irreparable harm is due solely to Karsten's delay in complying with the rule change. Moreover, Karsten unjustifiably delayed bringing this action. PGA cites Lydo Enters., Inc. v. City of Las Vegas, 745 F.2d 1211, 1213 (9th Cir.1984), and Oakland Tribune, Inc. v. Chronicle Publishing Co., 762 F.2d 1374, 1377 (9th Cir.1985). In Lydo, the plaintiff had five years in which to comply with an ordinance; however, the plaintiff waited to file suit until ten days prior to the compliance deadline. Lydo, 745 F.2d at 1213-14. The court stated, delay in seeking a preliminary injunction is a factor to be considered in weighing the propriety of relief.... We would be loath to withhold relief solely on that ground, but we do give that fact consideration in measuring the claim of urgency. Id. In Oakland Tribune, the agreements that the plaintiffs complained of had been in effect for a number of years. 762 F.2d at 1377. 42 This case does not present a delay of several years. Here, the district court specifically found that Karsten and the professional player plaintiffs had pursued this action with reasonable diligence. Karsten sought a meeting with the PGA in June of 1989, four months after the PGA approved the rule change. Karsten met with the PGA one month later. John Solheim testified that he requested and received the test data PGA relied upon. He further testified that it took a couple of months to review the data. The district court's conclusion that Karsten brought this suit with reasonable diligence is not clearly erroneous.