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Ex-Ohio State Great Widens Lawsuit Over Commercial Image Use
By: Associated Press
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COLUMBUS, Ohio (AP) – A former Ohio State and NFL football star has asked a judge to let him expand his class-action lawsuit alleging improper use of ex-players’ images in marketing campaigns to include potentially thousands of former athletes nationwide.
An updated federal complaint by ex-linebacker turned broadcaster Chris Spielman accuses talent management giant IMG and apparel-maker Nike of wrongly using the likenesses of current and former players at 89 colleges and universities.
One example is a Honda-sponsored program of 64 banners hung around Ohio Stadium featuring photos of former players with a Honda logo. Honda’s contract for the banners was with IMG.
Attorneys for Spielman asked a federal judge Tuesday to allow the expanded lawsuit.
Messages were left for Nike, Honda and Ohio State. An attorney for New York-based IMG said he hadn’t had a chance to review the new lawsuit.