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Wilson Faces Class Action Over DeMarini Youth Baseball Bats

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Santa Clara, CA: A consumer fraud class action lawsuit has been filed against Wilson Sporting Goods Co., alleging the company falsely claims that some of its DeMarini baseball bats comply with United States Specialty Sports Association (USSSA) standards. This claim allegedly leads customers to believe that because the popular bats meet national manufacturing requirements, they can be used in various youth baseball leagues and tournaments.

The proposed nationwide class action was filed by Theodore Sheeley, a parent who purchased a DeMarini bat that was advertised as having met USSSA standards, because his son plays baseball games governed by those standards.

According to the complaint, a number of the premium bats have a prominent silver sticker on the their surface certifying that the bats meet USSSA standards. However, because the bats don’t meet those standards, consumers are left with bats they cannot use.

“Defendant intended for consumers to rely on its representations that its DeMarini baseball bats met USSSA regulations when choosing to purchase the bats,” the complaint states. “Defendant’s DeMarini baseball bats were specifically marketed and sold to individuals who required that the DeMarini baseball bats they purchased complied with USSSA regulations and defendant’s customers relied on such representations in making their decision to purchase the bats.”

The suit claims that results from a recent audit of several models of Wilson DeMarini youth baseball bats revealed that they don’t actually follow the regulations and can’t be used for play in any league that adheres to USSSA standards. Those models have been officially withdrawn from USSSA baseball play, Wilson said recently, according to the suit.

DeMarini youth baseball bats are among the most expensive bats Wilson manufactures, with some models retailing at more than $350, the complaint alleges. While the defendant has offered various replacement options for the affected bats, including sending them for adjustments to meet the requirements or returning them for product vouchers, Wilson has so far refused to give monetary compensation to purchasers, the suit states.

Sheeley seeks to represent a nationwide class of people who purchased any defective models of Wilson DeMarini baseball bats within a proposed class period, as well as an Illinois subclass of people who bought one of the problematic models in the state within the last three years.

Sheeley is represented by Scott A. Morgan of the Morgan Law Firm Ltd. and Myles McGuire, Evan M. Meyers and Eugene Y. Turin of McGuire Law PC.

The suit is Theodore Sheeley v. Wilson Sporting Goods Co., suit number 1:17-cv-03076, in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois.

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Reader Comments

Posted by

on
I'd like to be added to the list. We also purchased one of the suspect bats and would like our money back.

Posted by

on
Had a 2017 cf zen 400$ plus and during the state tournament the cap pops off the end of the bat... of course bat removed from action and now the kids using a bat that feels different than he’s used in previous competition... a product that is being sold for such a large amount of money should have the company stand behind it and replace products when they are broken in regular game play

Posted by

on
I would love contacted about this issue and also be added. I I have 750 dollars in vouchers. I actually used one of the other vouchers for this years model 2018 of the CF Zen and have had it less than 2 weeks and never made it to a game and it has also already busted. I know we have at least went thru 6 bats with this company. So the voucher that was used with this bat now getting ready to give it back, i do not want any more of there vouchers or bats and want my money back this total is going to reach1100 buck. As stated above this is a problem with the company.

Posted by

on
Me and my son have been wronged by the same demarini issue and we also propose negligence as the company knew it produced a bat that could harm children playing against it. The bat was unsafe and they knew it. Please add me to the list.

Posted by

on
You can add me to the list

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