Football fan sues EA for putting him in Madden
- October 02, 2009 00:00 AM PST
A well-known fan of the Cleveland Browns is suing EA for including his likeness in Madden NFL 10 without providing him payment.
The defendant is on the left. The guy on the right is just some dude in a dog mask, your honor.
EA Sports probably breathed a slight sigh of relief when Jim Brown's law suit for his likeness being used without permission in Madden was thrown out of court this week. Now they have a whole new set of problems on their hands. Be it, an all new set of ridiculous problems.
The company is now facing a number of different lawsuits pertaining to its perennial football titles that make us worry for America's legal system.
First, Byron Bishop, an former player for University of North Carolina who left the game as a result of injuries is suing the producer because a player with the same number, city of birth and position appears in this year's NCAA Football.
But the lawsuit that really takes the cake is that of one John Big Dawg Thompson. Not familiar with the name? He's the guy at the Cleveland Browns games in the dog mask and the number 98 jersey. You know, the guy pretty much synonymous with the entire Cleveland Browns Franchise? the guy at EVERY Browns game? Yeah, he's suing because there's someone at the Brown's games in Madden with a similar build, dog mask and jersey (except with a different number). He wants $25 grand. Really? $25 grand?!
Of course, the big question is whether or not he'll show up to court in the dog..ahem..excuse me...dawg...getup.
Read more at Xbox Fan Force and follow the site on Twitter @XboxFanForce!
I'm a bit more conflicted than Joe. If you're using someone's likeness, he does deserve credit for his appearance, if not payment. On the other hand, he is wearing a dog mask.
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Comments [28]
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- Oct 02 2009 at 03:03:27:PM PST
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It's not that simple to sue for this. The football stadium owners and what not have given EA permission to recreate it for the videogame, this probably includes its props too. The guy in the dog mask probably didn't make the mask himself, nor the Jersey, meaning that anybody could buy the mask and the jersey and go to the game. Maybe EA should counter sue so that other people don't get any bright (dumb) ideas. I'm all for the little guy suing the big companies when there's a legit reason, but this is ridiculous.
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Maybe the company who made the dog mask, should sue John Thompson for turning their product into a mascot without permission? Hmmm...
This stuff is so lame.
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Maybe I'll sue madden as well. I love going to Rams football games (regardless of how much they suck), so I'm sure I'm somewhere in the crowd, maybe I should sue them too!
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i can see where he coming fromin some ways but its just another person trying to get a free ride to some cash. everyone wants a piece of the pie. can tblme him for trying.
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eh why not?? maybe that motherfuker just is realy that fukin ugly??..yea i doubt it to....
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Thats bullshit, EA should pay up, If you live in the greater Cleveland area and go to browns games and Know BIG DAWG. HELL When the Browns came back to the league in 99 the CLEVELAND BROWNS GOT HIM TO BE PART OF THE FESTIVITIES. I am sure they gave him something doe being a DIE HARD FAN, He is at EVERY GAME IN THE POUND NO MATTER WHAT.
EA has no right to look in the stands for a die hard fan and take his image from anyone. Its not about money, I am sure if EA contatced him and was like hey we want to use your likeness in the new Madden game and he would of said sure just give me a copy of the game lol.
Everyteam has that ON E DIE HARD. How would any of you feel if your dad or uncle was the victum in this?
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