Fighters Inc., a fledgling group licensing organization for professional boxers, is suing Electronic Arts for "intentional misappropriation of the names and likenesses of professional boxers in its ‘Fight Night Round 4’ videogame," as well as "undermining the interests" of boxers participating in the MLBPA-like program. They are seeking $15 million in compensatory and punitive damages.
Said Fighters Inc. managing member Chip Meyers, "Not only did EA take money out of the pockets of all professional boxers who are participating in the group licensing program, but its intentional misconduct could completely destroy what we are trying to build to empower today’s professional boxers with the same marketing and earning presence that is enjoyed by professional athletes in all major sports."
Professional boxing has long been the wild west of professional sports, where athletes struggle throughout much of their careers, and it looks like just when someone was trying to take positive steps to remedy the situation, the effort has been made to mean nothing by EA’s smash-and-grab licensing tactics. It will be interesting to see how this case plays out.
