A PYMNTS Company

Ex-NFL players’ antitrust claims are royalties claims, says court

By  |  June 13, 2012

U.S. District Court Judge Paul A. Magnuson has dismissed an antitrust lawsuit brought by former NFL players Gene Washington, Diron Talbert, and Sean Lumpkin. The ex-players had alleged that the NFL monopolized the market for their images and likenesses.

    Get the Full Story

    Complete the form to unlock this article and enjoy unlimited free access to all PYMNTS content — no additional logins required.

    Subscribe to our daily newsletter, PYMNTS Today.

    By completing this form, you agree to receive marketing communications from PYMNTS and to the sharing of your information with our sponsor, if applicable, in accordance with our Privacy Policy and Terms and Conditions.

    The court distinguished American Needle from the case at hand by noting that the intellectual property involved here was historical game footage properly collectively owned by the NFL and the teams, not property owned only by the team, such as logos or colors. In addition, the court found that the NFL’s copyright ownership for the footage cannot be considered a restraint of trade.

    We’d love to be your preferred source for news.

    Please add us to your preferred sources list so our news, data and interviews show up in your feed. Thanks!

    Add as Preferred Source

    In sum, the court characterized the plaintiffs’ claims as “[those] for royalties, not claims for antitrust.”

    Full content: Court Opinion

     

    Related content: Joint Ventures and the Sherman Act: The Problem Revealed by American Needle and How Best to Address It

     

    Want more news? Subscribe to CPI’s free daily newsletter for more headlines and updates on antitrust developments around the world.