SAN DIEGO - A Canadian football team was sued by a San Diego-based professional football player who says the team failed to follow through on signing him.
The complaint was filed on March 17 in the San Diego County Superior Court by plaintiff Timothy Lukas against defendant the BC Lions Football Club. The complaint was removed to federal court on May 4.
Lukas, a wide receiver who played at the University of Illinois, says he became a prospect for the British Columbia in September 2018 and entered negotiations to become employed with the team in early 2019. On March 26, the lawsuit says the Lions sent Lukas a contract that opened with "Congratulations on signing with the BC Lions."
The plaintiff says he signed and returned the contract on March 29.
Lukas attended team workouts and spoke with the manager and coach about the upcoming season.
According to the complaint, the defendant said that a flight would be booked for May to bring Lukas to British Columbia for training camp. A flight was never booked, however, and Lukas says he spent May through September of 2019 texting the coach inquiring as to when he would be flown up for training, the suit says.
Ultimately the Lions never returned a countersigned contract and never employed Lukas with the team.
The Lions are charged with intentional misrepresentation, promissory fraud, negligent misrepresentation and promissory estoppel.
Lukas is represented by Kirschner Law PC.