LOS ANGELES -- New England Patriots quarterback Tom Brady is
suing General Motors Corp. for allegedly using his likeness in an
ad after his contract with the automobile giant had expired.
Brady filed the $2 million lawsuit Monday in Los Angeles
Superior Court. He also is seeking punitive damages.
According to the suit, Brady signed a contract with GM in July
2003, agreeing to autograph merchandise, make personal appearances
on behalf of the company and do ads for a number of Cadillac
dealerships in the Boston area.
That contract expired Jan. 1, 2004. Brady alleges that on Jan.
30, 2004, GM asked to use a print ad featuring his name and
photograph in connection with that year's Super Bowl.
Brady denied the request twice, according to the suit, but GM
twice placed the ad in The Boston Globe anyway. Brady says the ads
also were distributed in Texas and elsewhere in Massachusetts after
the contract expired.
The Patriots face the Philadelphia Eagles in Super Bowl XXXIX on Feb. 6 in Jacksonville, Fla.
If Brady wins the MVP this year, he will be required to show up the morning after the game to the news conference, where Cadillac, a brand owned by General Motors, will give him the option of selecting a variety of cars, league spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN.com. Cadillac is the official vehicle of the Super Bowl and has a relationship with the NFL.
This is not the only issue that Brady has had with Cadillac. Brady was reportedly miffed that, after winning the MVP to last year's game, the car that he had chosen had not arrived months after he was awarded it. A Cadillac spokesman said the delay was due to the fact that Brady changed his mind as to what model of car he preferred and the company had to put a new car in production. Brady eventually auctioned off the car to benefit his high school.