You would think that EA Sports would have learned their lesson.
After the incredibly lengthy NCAA likeness lawsuit brought forth by Ed O'Bannon and Sam Keller, the belief was that EA had figured out their issue and managed to correct their problems.
Unfortunately for them, it appears that they dropped the ball on this one.
Legendary Ex-Running Back and NFL Hall of Famer Jim Brown has decided to accept a voluntary judgment offered by Electronic Arts to the tune of $600,000 in a likeness suit brought forth by the Cleveland Browns great.
Brown was used in Madden NFL 2008 as a legendary player, but the California-based company failed to secure a likeness deal and used it without his permission. The original suit was actually put forth in August of 2013 and the settlement has just now been taken care of. Brown spoke with reporters after the announcement of the decision:
“I took a stand for all athletes and laid a framework for future plaintiffs with my great legal team. Hopefully, this is a step forward in getting companies like Electronic Arts to recognize the value that athletes have in selling their products.”
In the long run, $600,000 isn't much of a dent in the coffers at Electronic Arts, but given their recent string of luck in lawsuits involving likenesses, one would think that they want to get this locked down. Thankfully for them, it does appear that there are no further suits being pursued.
