The National Football League Players Association will be required to pay its retired members $28.1 million in a dispute over royalties from licensing agreements with companies including video-game maker Electronic Arts Inc. after losing its appeal of an earlier ruling.
Judge William Alsup of the U.S. District Court of Northern California upheld a San Francisco jury’s November decision that the players’ union breached its fiduciary duty to the retired players and violated terms of its group licensing agreements.
The lawsuit, filed on behalf of as many as 2,062 former NFL players, said they were entitled to a share in royalties garnered from makers of video games, trading cards and other football products that used the players’ names and images.
The players union had argued that only active players were covered by its agreements. NFLPA officials didn’t immediately return telephone and voice mail messages.
Source: Planet Xbox360
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