News EA facing NFL likeness lawsuit

I thought I owned my own face?

 

Not in many (most?) parts of the world. It's a complicated issue.

 

Former NFL players?

You mean, the guys who tend to run out of money after their exceptionally short career are trying to get money from a long standing series and large publisher?

Colour me surprised.

 

It states on the Fifa game "No association with nor endorsement of this product by any player is intended or implied by the license granted b the Premier League Ltd to EA" It looks like any official license only covers names and logos of teams and leagues and is possibly the same as the rest of the sports games. I can't imagine this happening anywhere else but America.

 

The only way this would be OK was if it was in their contract with the NFL, or if it was a parody or social commentary.
If I made a Tom Cruise simulator called "Thom Cruz." I could be sued into the grave. If I called it "Thicky Crustypants from Hollywood," and generally made him look like a tool, that would be my protected right.

 

If it was the other way around EA would sue the s*** out of the football players.

 

Only in America, over here surely one of any budding footballers aspirations is to one day appear in FIFA

 

^^ but FIFA pays crap loads to license the players... Look at Pro Evolution Soccer (of past), they used the likeness and similarities...

 

Indeed. Liratheal hit the nail on the head further up the thread.