MLB players union sues Pirates, Sheetz over partnership promotion
PITTSBURGH (KDKA) -- A settlement is in the works after the Major League Baseball players union sued the Pirates and Sheetz over the promotion of their partnership.
The Pirates said a verbal agreement had been reached over the lawsuit, the Associated Press reported, and the Major League Baseball Players Association said a settlement was being negotiated.
According to the lawsuit filed on Wednesday, the Pirates and Sheetz used the names, images and likeness of multiple players in a joint promotional campaign without getting the proper licenses and authorizations.
The Pirates recently debuted a Sheetz patch on their uniform, and while the lawsuit says that's allowed, the team and the company didn't have the rights to use three or more players to promote the sponsorship.
The lawsuit accuses the Pirates and Sheetz of publishing at least 20 different posts across social media using more than three players like Paul Skenes, Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen and Nick Gonzales, which "unjustly enriched the defendants."
"These posts remain up and are publicly available for viewing on each platform and have caused and are continuing to cause irreparable harm to MLBPI and the Players," the lawsuit says.
The lawsuit was filed by MLB Players Inc., the for-profit corporate subsidiary of the MLB Players Association that serves as the exclusive group licensing agent for players. The MLBPI says the Pirates were told before and after the social media posts were published that using three or more players without a group license would be a violation of players' rights.
The players union was seeking preliminary and permanent injunctions requiring the Pirates and Sheetz to cease and desist as well as compensatory and punitive damages.