We know that many of you have been waiting all day for further information about Chargers safety Eric Weddle’s lawsuit, which arises from allegations that Alka-Seltzer used an image without authorization from his college football career at Utah on its packaging.
Agent David Canter has given us some more information about the case. Though we surmised that the photo was authorized by Utah and that Weddle would have signed away his rights when accepting a scholarship, Canter says otherwise.
“The image was photoshopped to take out all logos and intentionally darkened to make his shield cover his face but it was a photo readily used in all promo material and every time [Utah] discussed Eric,” Canter said. “They also didn’t get permission from Utah. A staffer pulled it off the Internet.”
Canter also took issue with our suggestion (made in jest) that Weddle was resorting to the legal system as a way to fund the lockout.
“The first paragraph of your story on Eric is a total misrepresentation of who and what Eric Weddle is,” Canter said. “There are few clients I’ve ever come across in my 15 years in this business more fiscally responsible and more fiscally stable than Eric and to portray him in any other way is not only erroneous but unfair. Eric is the most stable and incredible human beings I have ever come across and for a long time he debated taking any action because that’s not his nature.
“This case was pursued after many many months of discussions with our staff and General Counsel internally and has absolutely zero to do with a money grab nor the lockout. Eric was wronged and thus is asserting his legal rights.”
Point taken.
Hopefully, that means I won’t be sued for adding to this story a photo of the Alka-Seltzer box with Weddle’s picture on it.