High Court Rejects Electronic Arts’ Free Speech Claim

E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo
LOS ANGELES, CA - JUNE 18: A general view of the Electronic Arts booth during E3 Electronic Entertainment Expo at Los Angeles Convention Center on June 18, 2015 in Los Angeles, California. (Photo by Daniel Boczarski/WireImage)
Photograph by Daniel Boczarski — WireImage/Getty Images

The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Electronic Arts’ (EA) bid to revive its free speech defense in a lawsuit filed by former NFL players who accused the video game maker of using their likenesses in the popular Madden NFL series without permission or proper compensation.

The high court left in place a January 2015 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that rejected the company’s free speech claims and said the lawsuit could move forward.