Former players sue NFL for violation of antitrust laws – NFL News
The National Football League (NFL), the premier American football league, office is facing a potential legal fight from the former players on accusations of exploitation of their positions to benefit itself unduly.
At least three former players have sued the NFL office. They have alleged that the League had been profiting from use of their images and 'likenesses' while marketing it. They said that despite the fact that the NFL office was
benefiting from this form of the marketing they were not being paid any money by the League.
The players who have filed the suit included Sean Lumpkin, the former New Orleans Saints defensive back; former receiver of Minnesota Vikings Gene Washington and former Washington Redskins defensive lineman Diron Talbert.
“Many of the retired players the NFL uses to promote itself struggle with severe physical disabilities as a result of their playing days,” according to the complaint. “These players incurred these injuries by engaging in the performances
the NFL now uses to advertise itself and make money.”
Besides the Central NFL office, the former players have included all the 32 teams as parties in the suit which represent the League; all units that license the League's contentand is responsible for marketing NFL website, game
broadcasts and marketing of all its teams.
The National Football League is the premier American football league. It is divided into two conferences, the American Football Conference and National Football Conference, with each conference having four divisions and each division
four teams. The NFL is represented by 32 teams in total, and its central office, in New York, looks after all the affairs pertaining to the game and running of the teams, including rules and regulations.
They have sought class-action or group status for all the parties who have been playing in any of the NFL 32 teams before March 11, 2011. These also include the players who are no longer active, and whose images and likeness have
been used during the last four years. This included the content which was used to promote the NFL or its teams. They have pleaded for an award of triple money damages.
“We have not seen the complaint and do not have a comment,” Brian McCarthy, a spokesman for the NFL said.
Tags: