Muhammad Ali Enterprises sues Fox for $30M

Ali Enterprises claims the major network used Ali’s identity in a commercial before last year’s Super Bowl without consent.

FinalizeMuhammad Ali Enterprises has filed a federal lawsuit against media giant Fox Broadcasting Company, accusing the network of using Ali’s identity in a video that aired right before last year’s Super Bowl — without permission, of course.

As reported by ESPN, the lawsuit specifically claims that Fox used Ali's "name, image and likeness as the centerpiece of its three-minute promotional video" right before the biggest sporting event in the world. Lawyers for plaintiff argue that the three minute video could’ve been sold to advertisers for $30 million due to it’s proximity to the Super Bowl.

"Fox obtained great value by using Muhammad Ali to promote itself," attorney Frederick J. Sperling, who filed the lawsuit, said in a statement. "It should pay for what it took."

Additionally the lawsuit claims that the network’s video was much more than a simple tribute to the late, great fighter, and that it ‘falsely implies’ that Muhammad Ali Enterprises endorsed the Fox Network.

Ali Enterprises owns all copyrights, trademarks, and intellectual property rights that pertain to the now-deceased icon.