Electronic Arts, the makers of the Madden video game series is once again making news by being sued over allegations of using someone’s likeness without permission or compensation. But this time it’s a fan not a player! After spotting his character’s likeness in the Madden NFL 09 game, John “Big Dawg” Thompson, leader of the Cleveland Browns’ Dawg Pound, has filed suit against the video game maker asking for $25,000 in damages. This suit couldn’t come at a worse time for EA as not only are most experts calling Madden 10 for the Wii a flop but sales reports indicate that sales of EA top franchise have been steadily falling since 2008.
EA is certainly no stranger to lawsuits. Coming on the heels of the their recent court room victory over Hall of Fame running back Jim Brown, this lawsuit could possibly be much more troublesome than past lawsuits EA has endured. Win or lose in the court room, the battle for public opinion is at stake. $25,000 is just a drop in the bucket for the gaming giant. However, most gaming fans can relate to a man like “Big Dawg” much more so than a multi-million dollar per year athlete. While most ordinary people will feel no remorse for the athletes who don’t get paid for the use of their likenesses (after all they are making MILLIONS), an everyday fan like Mr. Thompson will win the sympathy of the common folks (like those that will sit on the jury).
Fan Sues Madden NFL maker EA
Will EA win this lawsuit, remains to be seen. But, regardless of the outcome this is sure to turn into a public relations nightmare for EA. And their troubles won’t end there. There is still the matter of another lawsuit claiming EA illegally profits from using the liknesses of college athletes in its NCAA series of video games. This one could potentially be much more important as it strikes to the heart of the question of should college athletes receive some sort of monetary compensation from outside ventures, like video games. But in the long run gaming fans will be the real losers, as game prices skyrocket, just in time for the holidays.
