The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday refused to hear a case that sought to reinstate a S.F. federal jury’s verdict of $11M in "damages and interest to the programmer of the original 'John Madden Football' video game, who accused the marketer of copying his work in later versions of the best-selling game." Jurors awarded nearly $4M in damages and more than $7M in interest in '13 to ROBIN ANTONICK, who sued Electronic Arts for "allegedly copying his programming in games sold" from '90-96. The verdict could have "led to larger damages against the company for later versions of the game." But U.S. District Judge CHARLES BREYER said that jurors "never actually compared Antonick’s work or his source codes with the later games and thus lacked evidence of illegal copying" (S.F. CHRONICLE, 11/7).
LAW & ORDER: Basketball HOFer EARL MONROE and former NBAer HENRY BIBBY have "filed a lawsuit against the Champions League -- a basketball outfit that was conceived for aging stars who weren’t ready to retire -- alleging the league has 'defrauded investors in excess of $5 million.'" Monroe and Bibby "signed contracts with the league to be an executive and a coach, respectively." But they allege they "weren’t paid in full" as the league and its CEO CARL GEORGE, "repeatedly postponed its launch date and misrepresented itself in communications with them" (WSJ.com, 11/3)....A federal indictment against former N.Y.-based WFAN-AM host CRAIG CARTON was filed in Manhattan federal court on Friday, "charging him with wire fraud, securities fraud and conspiracy for his alleged role in a Ponzi scheme tied to a ticket-reselling business and aimed at repaying gambling debts." Carton and co-defendant MICHAEL WRIGHT are "charged with scamming" more than $4M from a "hedge fund and other investors by lying and misappropriating money they were supposed to use to buy and re-sell high end tickets at a profit" (NEWSDAY, 11/4)
JOE COOL: The Georgia Tech men's basketball team yesterday listened to a presentation from Alibaba Exec Vice Chair and prospective Nets investor JOE TSAI. Tsai "spoke for about an hour," the highlight of the team's visit to Alibaba HQ as it "continued to its weeklong stay in China to play UCLA in Shanghai on Saturday." Alibaba is the "presenting sponsor" for the game, which is a "venture of the Pac-12 to expand its reach into Asia" (AJC.com, 11/6).
THE GOOD STUFF: The Edmonton Oilers Community Foundation raised some $500,000 last Monday and the "entire Oilers hockey team turned out at Rogers Place to support" the inaugural Iron & Frost gala. Funds raised this year are "going to gala collaborators the Edmonton Police Foundation." More than 700 guests purchased tickets for the gala, with hosts "paying either $10,000 or $5,000 for a table of eight." The dinner was in the Ford Hall, the "25,000-square-foot grand atrium entrance to Rogers Place." More than $300,000 was "raised in the live auction," and while WAYNE GRETZKY "didn't attend, he helped raise $40,000 by offering to host a golf game at his Sherwood Country Club" near L.A. Sold for $25,000 was a day with Oilers C CONNOR MCDAVID and the "choice of experiencing various police activities, including joining the bomb squad or training with a tactical unit" (EDMONTON JOURNAL, 11/6).
NAMES: Former Alabama AD BILL BATTLE, Orthopedic/sports surgeon DR. JAMES ANDREWS and Double-A Southern League Birmingham Barons Owner DON LOGAN are among the new inductees into the Alabama Business HOF (AL.com, 11/6)....Former IndyCar/NASCAR driver JOHN ANDRETTI tweeted that he is “officially finished with chemo treatments for the foreseeable future.” Andretti “announced in April he had been diagnosed with Stage 4 colon cancer” (INDYSTAR.com, 11/6)....Endeavor CEO ARI EMANUEL delivered an “eloquent introduction” at the L.A. County Museum of Art’s annual Art+Film Gala on Saturday. Among those in attendance were Disney Chair & CEO BOB IGER, LA '28 Chair CASEY WASSERMAN and IAC Chair BARRY DILLER (HOLLYWOODREPORTER.com, 11/6)....Patriots WR JULIAN EDELMAN on Sunday held a “meet-and-greet event and book signing” at his pop-up shop in Boston (BOSTONHERALD.com, 11/6)....White Sox P CARSON FULMER “married SABINA VARGAS on Friday” (CHICAGOTRIBUNE.com, 11/6)....JENNIFER LOPEZ was spotted with ALEX RODRIGUEZ at Saturday’s Virginia Tech-Miami game (NYPOST.com, 11/6).
