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$23M Lawsuit: Steinbrenner Stole My Idea

Former exec claims credit for Yankees' TV network YES

By Harry Kimball, Newser Staff

Posted Aug 29, 2009 12:54 PM CDT

(Newser) – The former president of Madison Square Garden is suing George Steinbrenner for $23 million, accusing the Yankees boss of stealing his idea for a team-owned TV network, Newsday reports. Bob Gutkowski claims he brought the idea for what would become YES to Steinbrenner in the mid-'90s and was given assurances that he would head the network. The Yankees call the allegations “patently false and frivolous.”

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George Steinbrenner. (AP Photo)

The old Yankee Stadium. (AP Photo)

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Their actions made it very clear that the only way for me to be fairly compensated for the idea that I brought to George and the work that I performed was to sue him. - Bob Gutkowski, on stonewalling Yankee representatives

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$23M Lawsuit: Steinbrenner Stole My Idea