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John Franklin III, Ronald Ollie, C.J. Reavis,
Deandre Johnson, Tim Bonner and Isaiah Wright say they’re
seeking $30 million in damages after receiving no compensation
for their contributions to the project. They say they’re holding
the defendants accountable “for the wrongful misappropriation of
their likeness and to ensure fair compensation for their work.”
Franklin, Ollie and Reavis played for East Mississippi in 2015.
Johnson and Bonner were there in 2016. Wright played in both
2015 and 2016.
The list of defendants also includes Conde Nast Entertainment
and Greg Whiteley, the director and executive producer of “Last
Chance U.” Conde Nast was listed as a production partner of the
series, which focused on the lives of junior college football
players. The first two of the series’ five seasons focused on
East Mississippi.
The plaintiffs say they weren’t given an opportunity to consult
an attorney or read their contracts in their entirety before
agreeing to have their names and images included in the series.
They said that at no point were they made aware the documentary
would be marketed for commercial use while they were pressured
into “impulsively signing agreements.”
“The most coercive tactic defendants used upon the plaintiffs
was telling them if they did not sign the contracts, they were
not eligible to practice,” John Pierce, the lawyer representing
the players, said in a complaint filed last week at Los Angeles
County superior court. “In turn, they would not be eligible to
play games, and their football skills would deteriorate.
Inability to practice meant closing the door on what they
committed their whole life towards, eventually playing
professional football. Plaintiffs had no real negotiation or any
meaningful choice except signing what was presented to them
without ever being instructed of the purpose of filming or being
advised to read through the contract in its entirety.”
The complaint indicates East Mississippi sold merchandise
involving the players portrayed in the series, but that the
plaintiffs didn’t receive any compensation. It also says Wright,
Ollie and Franklin were portrayed in a false light, damaging
their reputations.
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