Massachusetts Sports Group Fined For Violating NH COVID-19 Order

CONCORD, NH — A Beverly, Massachusetts, sports group has been fined $2,000 for allowing football teams from outside of New England to play in New Hampshire.

The New Hampshire Attorney General's Office fined Austin Bradshaw of New England Flag Football League for violating Gov. Chris Sununu's emergency orders due to the COVID-19 pandemic by allowing football players from Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin to attend a tournament in Epping between Aug. 21, and Aug. 23, in violation of warnings issued to him and his company "multiple times," according to officials.

The attorney general's office was tipped off about non-New England teams attending in mid-August and began a series of emails and phone calls about the state's emergency orders to Bradshaw.

Bradshaw, according to investigators, told officials he had redone the schedule without the non-New England teams. One team, from New York, was reportedly upset and planned on contacting officials. It was at that time that the attorney general's office learned a team from Ohio was flying to New Hampshire to play.

Bradshaw was also contacted by police, told about provisions including mask requirements for any gathering of 100 people or more, and given more warnings about not allowing the players to play.

After the event, investigators requested documents from Bradshaw including information on all the teams, where they came from, how they traveled, and other information and found the 68 players from eight teams based in Ohio, Pennsylvania, and Wisconsin were allowed to play in the tournament.

"Allowing these teams to compete was a violation of the Governor's Emergency Order 52 as extended," said Anne Edwards, an associate attorney general. "Given the multiple warnings prior to the event, the actions of NEFFL were reckless and intentional based on the information that was provided by NEFFL and you, specifically, and your confirmation that you understood that non-New England teams were not allowed to compete."

Edwards added that the company could be fined up to $8,000, $2,000 per team, but instead, was being given a smaller penalty of $250 per team.

The fine is due to be paid Sept. 29.

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