“TCI, either on its own initiative or at the request of the Detroit Lions, downloaded, copied and created a large-format print of plaintiff’s photograph for purposes of slavishly recreating all details of plaintiff’s photograph in the Sanders statue,” alleges the complaint.
Photographer Sues Detroit Lions Over Copyright Infringement: Barry Sanders Tribute
Kee admits to submitting the photograph to NFL Photo in 1995 but asserts that he did not relinquish its copyright. Despite later submissions to WireImage, owned by MediaVast Inc. between 2004 and 2007, the contested photo was not part of the library acquired by Getty Images in 2007. The lawsuit claims that Getty Images, unbeknownst to Kee until 2022, sold licenses of his photo without consent or authorization.
The Lions unveiled the statue, a tribute to Barry Sanders, with fanfare on September 16, 2023. The controversy deepens as photos of the statue are now being sold by various retailers, including Fanatics and Dick’s Sporting Goods, with memorabilia frames featuring copies of Kee’s photos.
