Football great Jim Brown suing EA, Sony

Yahoo! ^ | August 1, 2008 | Ben Silverman

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

After years of barging over husky defenders on the gridiron, ex-Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown is attempting to tackle two serious video game heavyweights in court.

According to Bloomberg, Brown has filed suit against Sony Computer Entertainment America and Electronic Arts over using his likeness in the popular Madden football series. He seeks a court order preventing either company from continuing to use his likeness in the franchise as well as damages stemming from trademark violation.

At issue is the starting running back on Madden's "All Browns Team." The character is African-American and bears the same jersey number Brown made famous -- number 32. In the suit, Brown claims that he "never signed away any rights that would allow his likeness to be used."

[Virginia Ridgerunner]

I don't see how Jim Brown can possibly win this lawsuit since he doesn't own the Cleveland Browns or the number 32, and is essentially asking for an ex post facto judgment re-writing the terms of his 1960s contracts.

[fso301]

I don't see how Jim Brown can possibly win this lawsuit since he doesn't own the Cleveland Browns or the number 32, and is essentially asking for an ex post facto judgment re-writing the terms of his 1960s contracts.

What if it was a white guy wearing his number? Do I take this to mean Jim Brown has burned through his cash?

[Sue Perkick]

A white guy can’t wear #32 for the Browns. It’s retired.

[Ben Reyes]

Could it be that Brown smells green?

[ErnBatavia]

Do I take this to mean Jim Brown has burned through his cash?

That had to have happened loooong ago; he's been subsisting on gubmint grants with his dubious "Yes I Can" - or whatever he calls his mini-rainbow coalitions - for years now.

[fso301]

A white guy can’t wear #32 for the Browns. It’s retired

I was referring to the video game. Sorry for not being clear on that point.

[Maverick68]

Somebody needs to step on his corns....

[Alberta's Child]

He may have a solid case here, if the Madden football game has the #32 player on the Browns wearing an unusual helmet . . .

[Sue Perkick]

Using the #32, making the player a black man & playing for the “All Browns Team” may give him enough to make a case—a small one, maybe. It’s probably intended to imply that the player is Jim Brown. I wouldn’t expect him to make a fortune on this. But it’s Madden. Anything that causes them headaches & annoyances is fine by me. LOL.

[Sue Perkick]

http://tomficklin.blogspot.com/2008/06/yes-i-can.html