Former ‘Last Chance U’ football players have filed a lawsuit against East Mississippi Community College, Netflix, the National Junior College Athletic Association, and the director of the series, Greg Whiteley, due to their portrayals in the popular documentary. This legal action highlights the ongoing struggle of athletes seeking fair representation and compensation in the media.
The plaintiffs, including John Franklin III, Ronald Ollie, C.J. Reavis, Deandre Johnson, Tim Bonner, and Isaiah Wright, are pursuing $30 million in damages. They argue that they have not received any financial compensation for their contributions to the series and are holding the defendants accountable for what they describe as the “wrongful misappropriation of their likeness” along with the need for just compensation for their efforts.
Franklin, Ollie, and Reavis played for East Mississippi in 2015, while Johnson and Bonner joined in 2016. Wright participated in both years, showcasing the diverse experiences of these athletes as they navigated their college football careers.
The defendants also include Condé Nast Entertainment, a production partner of the series, which focused on the lives of junior college football players, particularly in its first two seasons that featured East Mississippi prominently.
The lawsuit claims that the players were not provided the opportunity to consult legal counsel or fully understand their contracts before agreeing to have their names and images used in the documentary. They assert that they were pressured into signing agreements without being informed that the documentary would be commercially marketed.
John Pierce, the attorney representing the players, stated in the complaint filed in Los Angeles County Superior Court that the defendants employed coercive tactics, telling the players that not signing the contracts would prevent them from practicing. This pressure created a situation where the athletes felt they had no real choice but to sign, jeopardizing their aspirations of playing professional football.
The complaint also alleges that East Mississippi profited from merchandise featuring the players portrayed in the series without providing any financial benefits to the athletes. Furthermore, it claims that Wright, Ollie, and Franklin were depicted in a misleading manner, which has harmed their reputations.
