Six former football players from East Mississippi Community College are suing Netflix, the National Junior College Athletic Association (NJCAA), East Mississippi Community College, Conde Nast Entertainment, and Greg Whiteley, the director of the Netflix series Last Chance U, for $30 million. They filed the lawsuit in Los Angeles County, claiming that their likenesses were misused and they were not paid for their appearances in the show, which focused on the college’s football team.
Netflix Being Sued by College Football Players
The players—John Franklin III, Ronald Ollie, C.J. Reavis, DeAndre Johnson, Tim Bonner, and Isaiah Wright—argue that they were not fairly compensated for their roles in the series. They say they were pressured into signing contracts without proper legal advice or a clear understanding of the terms, especially regarding how their names and images would be used.
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They claim they were told that if they didn’t sign, it might hurt their chances of playing, which made it hard for them to negotiate better terms. The lawsuit points out that the college made money from merchandise featuring the players but that the players got nothing from those profits. Additionally, they argue that some players were shown in a negative way, which hurt their reputations and made it harder for them to find jobs later.
The players say that the defendants benefited financially from their participation without fairly compensating them or representing them properly. The players were involved in the series during different years: Franklin, Ollie, and Reavis played in 2015, while Johnson and Bonner played in 2016. Wright played in both years.
The lawsuit claims that the players weren’t told the documentary would be for commercial purposes and did not have enough time to review the contracts before signing them. The pressure they felt during the signing process is a key part of their case.
Besides the main defendants, others involved in the production and distribution of “Last Chance U” are also named in the lawsuit. The players believe that the show’s success helped the defendants financially, as they used the players’ images without proper payment and did not ensure fair treatment. This lawsuit aims to hold the defendants responsible for their actions and seek financial compensation for the players’ claims.
The case also raises questions about contracts and the potential for exploitation in reality TV shows featuring real people. How this lawsuit turns out could affect future documentary series that include actual individuals.
Published: Feb 14, 2025 03:09 pm