by Ronald Glover, Ronald.Glover@concorde2000.com
BlackAthlete.net
PHILADELPHIA – My love for the NFL stems from Sundays when my father and I would sit in front of the television while my mother was at church (I only had to do one service on Sundays) and my sisters played around the house.
I learned the history of the game through NFL Films, the voice of the late great John Facenda, the melodic symphony that played in my head playing rough touch with my friends as I became one with Jim Brown or O.J. Simpson (I can’t front on Juice the football player) and finally the grainy reels of footage that taught me the names of players, coaches and numbers that have become a part of its history.
History is pure, it is sacred; never to be tampered or compromised it is to be revered as life. Except when it comes to the almighty dollar.
In last week’s class action ruling in favor of over 2,000 former players being rewarded for having their images and likenesses used without the consent of the NFLPA.
The focus of the suit was the NFLPA’s $35 million licensing contract with the “ Madden NFL” video game series. Under the existing deal only current players were compensated.
But Madden has over 100 vintage teams made up of retired players. The players are not given details faces, names or numbers, however likeness is depicted in the players attributes, position, height and weight. READ MORE
