Attorney Jason Luckasevic, who reps former NFLers suing helmet maker Riddell, said that his clients have "uncovered new evidence that the company and league knew more about the risks of concussions than has previously been disclosed." In N.Y., Josh Kosman notes the "size of a potential verdict or settlement against Riddell could bankrupt the privately held company." Luckasevic said, "We are going to put an end to that helmet maker." Kosman notes the suit is "being pressed by roughly 1,000 former players." The 20,000 players who accepted the $1B NFL settlement are "free to continue pursuing Riddell." The case is "expected to move forward after the NFL settlement gets approved" (N.Y. POST, 2/16).
TIME FOR A CHANGE: CBS’ “60 Minutes” examined the ongoing FIFA scandal, with the net's Steve Kroft noting the U.S. Justice Department has stated FIFA has been “operating as an organized crime syndicate for the past 24 years, and some of those alleged crimes, like bribery and money laundering, were planned and carried out here in the United States." Most people who "follow international soccer aren’t surprised" by the charges, as the "chicanery at FIFA has been an open secret in Europe.” FIFA next week will name a successor to President Sepp Blatter, and Kroft noted the six candidates for the position are “preaching reform to a FIFA membership that has long resisted it” (“60 Minutes,” CBS, 2/14).
GRUDGE MATCH: ESPN.com's Brian Campbell wrote Friday's Royce Gracie-Ken Shamrock "Legend Fight" is the latest example of MMA promotion Bellator preying on the "general public's weakness toward nostalgia." However, it also is "par for the course" for Bellator President Scott Coker. The series of legends fights "raises a larger question: Is Bellator onto something here by creating a new genre of guilty pleasure MMA?" Coker: "This really comes down to what fights do I want to see? It doesn't always have to be No. 1 vs. No. 2, because sometimes that can be boring or doesn't really have the appeal outside of the hard-core fans. Spike TV is an entertainment property, so we are going to do fights that entertain" (ESPN.com, 2/15).
