MLB Players Union and FanDuel Settle Lawsuit Over Player Likenesses

The Major League Baseball Players Union has settled a significant lawsuit against sports betting giant FanDuel. The lawsuit accused FanDuel of using the names and likenesses of hundreds of MLB players on its betting platform without proper authorization.

Settlement Details
On Friday, a FanDuel spokesperson announced that the company and the union had reached a confidential licensing agreement. As part of this settlement, the players agreed to dismiss their claims with prejudice in a New York federal court filing, which means these claims cannot be refiled in the future.

Attempts to obtain additional comments or details from union spokespeople and attorneys have so far been unsuccessful.

Ongoing Legal Battles
The MLB Players Union has also filed similar complaints against other major sports betting companies, including FanDuel's competitor DraftKings. These cases are still active and ongoing.

The lawsuits, which were initiated in September, argued that these companies "flagrantly" violated the rights of nearly every active MLB player by using their names, images, and likenesses without obtaining the necessary licenses.

"For professional athletes, the ability to control the commercial use of their names, images, and likenesses is a crucial return on their substantial career investment," the players asserted.

FanDuel had not formally responded to the allegations in court at the time of the settlement.

NFL Players Union Involvement
In a related matter, the National Football League's Players Union has filed its own lawsuit against DraftKings. This lawsuit, which remains ongoing, alleges that DraftKings misused NFL player likenesses on non-fungible tokens (NFTs) without proper authorization.

​The resolution of the MLB Players Union's lawsuit against FanDuel marks a significant moment in the ongoing discussions about the commercial rights of professional athletes. As the legal battles continue, the outcome of these cases will likely have broad implications for the sports betting industry and the protection of athlete likenesses.