Supreme Court Rejects MLB Fantasy Licensing Fees

One thing is for sure, MLB players make a lot of money! Unfortunatley, they present a valid point when it comes to Fantasy Baseball Companies using their names to generate a profit. However, the Supreme Court did not agree.

The U.S. Supreme Court rejected an appeal from Major League Baseball and its players association, leaving intact a ruling that lets a fantasy-sports company use players’ names and statistics without paying licensing fees.

According to the AP-Without comment, the justices declined to hear the case involving a segment of the $1.5 billion fantasy sports industry in the United States, in which participants manage imaginary teams based on the real-life performances of professional players.

The lawsuit involves C.B.C. Distribution and Marketing Inc., a Missouri company unable to obtain a license from a subsidiary of Major League Baseball to use players’ names in C.B.C.’s fantasy baseball games.

The Missouri company sued, saying it did not need a license to continue to sell its fantasy baseball games on its Web site.

Fantasy sport leagues now generate roughly $500 million a year worldwide in fees, advertising and other revenue, according to Jeff Thomas, president of the 150-member Fantasy Sports Trade Association.

Should athletes be entitled to a monetary cut of revenue in return for their names and talent being used to make a third party profit? What do you think? RBI says no!