Music Publishers' Copyright Lawsuits Against 14 NBA Teams Face October Pre-Trial and Likely Consolidation
A pre-trial conference addressing the Phoenix Suns music copyright lawsuit is scheduled for October, while 13 similar cases against other NBA teams are expected to be consolidated into a single lawsuit.
NBA team logos and legal documents
Music publishers including Kobalt Music Publishing, Artist Publishing Group, and Prescription Songs have filed lawsuits against 14 NBA teams for allegedly using copyrighted music without permission. The affected teams include the New York Knicks, Orlando Magic, Cleveland Cavaliers, Indiana Pacers, Denver Nuggets, Minnesota Timberwolves, Atlanta Hawks, Miami Heat, New Orleans Pelicans, Philadelphia 76ers, Portland Trail Blazers, Sacramento Kings, and San Antonio Spurs.
The publishers seek $150,000 in damages per infringement, with unauthorized uses including songs from prominent artists like Cardi B, Jay-Z, Migos, OutKast, Busta Rhymes, DJ Khaled, and Shaquille O'Neal.
Court documents suggest these cases will likely be consolidated in the US District Court for the Southern District of New York, which is also handling the Phoenix Suns case. This consolidation is indicated by "Notice of Case Assignment/Reassignment" references appearing in all cases except the Suns lawsuit.
The legal action comes as the NBA secured a $2.5 billion annual broadcast package with Comcast and NBCUniversal. While the NBA itself isn't named in the lawsuits, proper recording and compositional licenses would be required for videos posted on the NBA website.
A similar case emerged in May when Sony Music sued Marriott International for alleged copyright infringement in social media posts, involving over 900 infringements of recordings from artists including Britney Spears, Harry Styles, and Beyoncé.
Gavel in courtroom
Timberwolves basketball arena with video screen
Related Articles
Artist Partner Group Files Lawsuit Against Create Music Over Artist Contract Interference
