Judge Sets Settlement Conference Date For Retired NFL Players' Likeness Case

U.S. Chief Magistrate Judge Arthur Boylan has called a July 10 settlement conference for the NFL and the group of retired players suing over the league's use of their images in NFL Films. The case was filed in '09, and the NFL recently asked the court to restrict the claims to image use that occurred during the last few years. Many of the claims stretch back decades. Boylan’s order advises the parties to make multiple-day hotel reservations in the event the settlement conference extends past normal business hours. Boylan, of the Minnesota federal district court, presided over the settlement of the Brady v. NFL lawsuit last year, one factor which led to the end of the lockout. The retired players claim they should be paid when their images are used in NFL Films, while the NFL argues those rights were signed away in their player contracts.