Judge Dismisses One Lawsuit Against EA
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A lawsuit filed by former NFL player Jim Brown against Electronic Arts over the use of his likeness in past Madden games has been dismissed. Brown had made the claim that having a player similar in make-up to him represented a “false endorsement” even though his name was ever included in the game. The New York Times has a full article on the story here.
“The Madden NFL video games are expressive works, akin to an expressive painting that depicts celebrity athletes of past and present in a realistic sporting environment,” Cooper wrote. She found that game users would not be likely to conclude that Brown had endorsed the Madden NFL product.
This decision could be an indication that the lawsuits currently pending against the NCAA and EA over the NCAA Football franchise could go in their favor as well. There it is former collegiate athletes who are suing over their likenesses having been included in the games and are arguing that both parties have profited off them.
September 30, 2009 at 4:38 pm
Really..?
September 30, 2009 at 4:40 pm
I would hope that this ruling will help EA in the case over NCAA, I believe that was started by that ASU/Nebraska Quarterback. I couldn't tell you his name, as he was not much of a player and had to transfer after losing his starting job at ASU as a senior. Hopefully this will allow EA to have more accurate rosters in NCAA 11.
September 30, 2009 at 4:46 pm
wow.. really!?
September 30, 2009 at 4:48 pm
This is good news. Hopefully this will stop other players from doing this petty stuff. I lost respect for Jim Brown for pulling this stunt. Hopefully this will allow NCAA 11 to have a more variety of player faces. More than half the players wear dreads in real life but there are none in NCAA 10.
September 30, 2009 at 5:58 pm
good point about the dreads.
September 30, 2009 at 9:28 pm
that would mean every black player had dreads, not to mention some white guys
September 30, 2009 at 4:49 pm
Great that means a company like 2k can make a football game where all of the players represent the NFL as long as they dont have the names right
September 30, 2009 at 5:15 pm
I don't believe the ruling would really apply to a game that was being sold off a concept of players who have not signed their rights over. Since it was a minor mode in Madden, that no one was certainly buying the game for.
September 30, 2009 at 5:30 pm
I want to say damn, because i always root for the underdog in cases against these big corporations….but, if this is going to allow for more accurate representations of players in NCAA (even though its a second rate product) I guess its a good thing
September 30, 2009 at 5:31 pm
I don't think this is as good of news for NCAA as some of you guys think. The Historical players in Madden have always had the wrong numbers and such. Where as in the NCAA games, about the only thing missing was the players name. I could certainly see where a judge could rule in favor of the players in the NCAA case.
September 30, 2009 at 6:04 pm
JUS GOES 2 SHO IF U GOTTA NUFF $$$ U CAN GET AWAY WIT WUTEVA
September 30, 2009 at 7:55 pm
The guy needs money
September 30, 2009 at 9:30 pm
dude he was in "Mars Attacks" ill bet he has 10 mils from that movie in some offshore bank account
September 30, 2009 at 9:13 pm
From what I can remember, Madden has never advertised the fact that you can play with former players. And it certainly isn't the reason why 99.999 % of people would buy it anyway.
September 30, 2009 at 10:39 pm
Jim Brown is a loser. When he's raping women he's filing frivilous lawsuits. Good to see him take it up the rear on this one, even thought I can't stand EA.
October 1, 2009 at 2:57 pm
nice, mature comment…..moron
September 30, 2009 at 10:57 pm
Im confused dont they advertise that old teams are in the game? ANd whats wrong with wanting to get paid for being in the game…current athletes I BELIEVE get paid for being in the games. Isnt that why Jordan wasnt in many games, because he wanted more many. I kinda agree with Jim Brown, these dudes dont recieve many checks. and any little probably would help.
October 1, 2009 at 1:05 am
OT: R DEY GONNA ADD DA SEAHAWKS ALT 2 MADDEN
DIDN'T SEE DEM wen I D/L da PATCH
October 1, 2009 at 4:17 pm
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