Add Bill Russell to the List: Russell Sues the NCAA over the Use of his Likeness in Videogames

Like Oscar Robertson and Ed O’Bannon, Bill Russell (“Russell”) is unhappy with the NCAA’s use of his image and likeness in videogames and other for-profit endeavors.  Russell is a legend.  He won two NCAA national championships at the University of San Francisco, 1955-1956, and eleven NBA championships with the Boston Celtics.  Russell accuses the NCAA, and EA Sports, of using his image in the “Tournament of Legends” feature in the EA Sports NCAA Basketball videogame.  Additionally, Russell complains that the NCAA sells fifty-four video clips of Russell through an NCAA online photo store.  Russell adds even more heat to the O’Bannon case that is currently playing out in federal district court in Oakland, California.

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