Lane Kiffin Sued for Copyright Infringement by Swimming Psychologist

Lane Kiffin, the head football coach at Ole Miss, is facing a surprising lawsuit filed by Dr. Keith Bell, a Texas-based swimming psychologist and author of "Winning Isn't Normal." The lawsuit, which claims copyright infringement, stems from Kiffin's social media activity, a realm where he is known for his provocative presence. Dr. Bell is seeking damages from Kiffin, who earns an annual salary of $8.75 million, after alleging that Kiffin improperly shared content from his book. The legal troubles began in 2016 when Kiffin retweeted a passage from Bell's book. After Dr. Bell sent cease-and-desist letters, Kiffin deleted the post. However, in March 2022, Kiffin shared a photo containing a seven-paragraph excerpt from "Winning Isn't Normal," prompting another cease-and-desist letter from Bell. The lawsuit claims that Kiffin's failure to comply with the request constitutes willful infringement, despite the post being deleted shortly thereafter. Dr. Bell's lawsuit argues that Kiffin's significant social media following—over 682,000 on Twitter—renders his sharing of the book's content commercial in nature. While it seems unlikely that Kiffin intended to claim the excerpts as his own work, the author believes he has grounds for a profitable claim against the coach. The situation highlights the complexities of copyright law in the digital age, particularly as it pertains to public figures and their online interactions.