Started By
Message

Tortious interference? Curious why it has not been pursued.

Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:23 am
Posted by Cell of Awareness
Member since Jan 2024
1124 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:23 am
This is not Kiffin speciic but refers to the several times this happens every year.

If a school whose coach is poached wanted to really stir it up, why could they not file a suit alleging fortious interference with a contract?

From my understanding, six things are required:
-The existence of a contractual relationship or beneficial business relationship between two parties.
-Knowledge of that relationship by a third party.
Intent of the third party to induce a party to the relationship to breach the relationship.
-Lack of any privilege on the part of the third party to induce such a breach.
-The contractual relationship is breached.
-Damage to the party against whom the breach occurs.

Damages could be as simple as the monies spent hiring a new coach and staff.

Also, noting the story about Riley reps testing the water in Florida, why could a coach not be fired for cause for talking about another job?>
This post was edited on 11/30/25 at 8:26 am
Posted by CecilShortsHisPants
One Foty Fo uh uh Magnolia Screet
Member since Oct 2012
3652 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:26 am to
Get out of here with all that logical legal nonsense!
Posted by TexasTiger33
Hi :)
Member since Feb 2022
14444 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:26 am to
You are tortiously interfering with my Kiffmas festivities...
Posted by csorre1
Member since Apr 2010
7033 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:27 am to
I'm sure Jimmy Sexton has never heard of this and doesn't know how to shop his clients within the confines of the law.
Posted by UpToPar
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2008
22831 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:27 am to
quote:

Knowledge of that relationship by a third party. Intent of the third party to induce a party to the relationship to breach the relationship.


Where is the breach?
Posted by BallChamp00
Member since May 2015
7274 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:27 am to
Legal action is the last thing you want. Cost money and is normally always bad press.
Posted by catfish 62
Atlanta
Member since Mar 2010
5580 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:30 am to
Nerd alert
Posted by Major Dutch Schaefer
Location: Classified
Member since Nov 2011
38087 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:34 am to
Go find Slow Flow Pro on the Poli Board and ask him.
Posted by Cell of Awareness
Member since Jan 2024
1124 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:35 am to
quote:

Where is the breach?


If Kiffin took the offer and left Ole Miss, that is a breach.
Posted by shinerfan
Duckworld(Earth-616)
Member since Sep 2009
27988 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:36 am to
Aren't the buyout clauses tacit approval of poaching?
Posted by Cell of Awareness
Member since Jan 2024
1124 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:36 am to
quote:

I'm sure Jimmy Sexton has never heard of this and doesn't know how to shop his clients within the confines of the law.


Or schools are so afraid to anger the guy who controls the SEC they demure.
Posted by UpToPar
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2008
22831 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:41 am to
quote:

If Kiffin took the offer and left Ole Miss, that is a breach.


Likely not a breach depending on how the contract is written. These contracts are usually written such that either party can terminate the contract early with a penalty (buyout to the coach if school terminates, or buyout to school if coach leaves). Neither would be considered a breach.
Posted by Lowdermilk
Lowdermilk Beach
Member since Aug 2024
945 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:42 am to
Posted by SMU Tiger Fan
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2009
497 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:44 am to
Louisiana does not really have tortious interference as a cause of action. It is a common law principle not adopted in LA.
Posted by TBoy
Kalamazoo
Member since Dec 2007
27396 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:47 am to
quote:

Damages could be as simple as the monies spent hiring a new coach and staff.

The damages in this case is that Kiffin would forfeit his salary for the remainder of his Old Miss contract and Old Miss would not sustain any damages because they would have to incur the expense of hiring anyway when his contract expired on its own.
Posted by BiggerBear
Redbone Country
Member since Sep 2011
3146 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:47 am to
It's a contract of employment. Does anyone who offfers someone else a better job risk such a claim? Also, are you breaching an employment contract if you quit?

I don't know the answer, and it's an interesting question, but I'm guessing that employment contracts are going to fall under a different analysis for tortious interference claims.
Posted by Dixie Normus
Earth
Member since Sep 2013
2843 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:49 am to
We do have it on paper, but the courts have narrowly interpreted the claim to the point that it’s essentially been litigated out of existence for practical purposes.
Posted by Guava Jelly
Bawston
Member since Jul 2009
11942 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:49 am to
I had a similar thought about detrimental reliance. I think the issue, similar to the reason these bloated contracts with huge buyouts exist in the first place, is that higher ed attorneys aren't very good deal lawyers, and institutions don't want to pay top dollar for outside counsel.
Posted by UpToPar
Baton Rouge
Member since Sep 2008
22831 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:49 am to
Also, let’s assume you’re right and OM has a tortious interference claim….wouldn’t the inverse be true and coaches would have tortious interference claims against big money donors when they are fired? I don’t think anybody thinks that’s a good idea.
Posted by DmitriKaramazov
Member since Nov 2015
5552 posts
Posted on 11/30/25 at 8:55 am to
Your recitation of the elements of the tort omitted one key consideration. In most jurisdictions, the defendant has to intend to induce the breach AND the inducement has to be accomplished through "unlawful" means or conduct. There is nothing inherently "unlawful" about one market participant luring an employee away from another market participant with promises of greater pay or other benefits. That's just standard competition. Or put another way, competitors are "privileged" to compete in the market and take one another's employees, so long as it isn't effected through "unlawful" means.

That's the short answer for why you typically don't see TI claims in these scenarios.
first pageprev pagePage 1 of 2Next pagelast page

Back to top
logoFollow TigerDroppings for LSU Football News
Follow us on X, Facebook and Instagram to get the latest updates on LSU Football and Recruiting.

FacebookXInstagram