right to publicity

A federal judge has approved the National Football League's $50 million settlement with players who contended their rights to publicity were violated by NFL marketing. Bloomberg Businessweek reported U.S. District Judge Paul A. Magnuson opined "the chances of the lawsuit’s succeeding are 'slim at best,' ... calling the settlement a remarkable victory for the class as a whole." Another part of the settlement is the creation of an agency to handle the licensing of ex-players' publicity rights.