Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: TUESDAY, September 19, 1995 TAG: 9509190060
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-1 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: Associated Press
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
The NFL, calling the Dallas Cowboys' recent agreements with Nike and Pepsi ``ambush marketing deals,'' sued the team Monday for more than $300 million.
The suit was filed in federal court in New York following a unanimous vote of the five club executives who make up the executive committee of NFL Properties, the league's marketing arm.
In a move that clearly escalates the feud between the NFL and maverick Cowboys owner Jerry Jones, the lawsuit seeks to prevent the Cowboys, Jones and Texas Stadium from further damaging NFL Properties.
The NFL wants the court to order the defendants to stop violating their agreements with NFL Properties regarding club marks and logos, and prevent the defendants from signing any additional deals that undermine existing NFL sponsorship or licensing contracts.
``The Cowboys have made it clear through their recent actions and statements that they want to change the basic manner in which NFL Properties does business,'' said Roger Headrick, executive committee chairman of NFL Properties.
Cowboys spokesman Rich Dalrymple said Jones was en route to Atlanta for an NFL owners meeting. He added that while the team is aware of the suit, it would not comment.
This season, the Cowboys have clashed with the league by selling Pepsi rather than league-sanctioned Coca-Cola at Texas Stadium. In signing with Nike, the team ignored Players Inc., the licensing arm of the NFL Players Association.
``The effect of the recent ambush marketing deals signed by Jerry Jones has been to undermine existing NFL Properties sponsorships and contracts that were made on behalf of all 30 clubs and to inhibit NFL Properties' future arrangements,'' Headrick said.
``Our sponsors and licensees keep asking us whether we are representing all 30 NFL clubs, or just 29 in competition with the Cowboys. We asked the court to make it clear that the Cowboys should not take any further action that damages the relationship between NFL Properties and its current and future licensees and sponsors.''
``He enjoys the maverick image,'' said Carmen Policy, president of the San Francisco 49ers. ``But the man's gone too far; he's out of control. There is money, and there is class and the two aren't synonymous.''
by CNB