Pittsburgh Pirates and Sheetz Sued by MLB Players Union Over Unauthorized Promotions

PITTSBURGH (KDKA) — The Major League Baseball (MLB) players union has initiated legal action against the Pittsburgh Pirates and Sheetz, alleging unauthorized use of player likenesses in a promotional campaign. The lawsuit claims that the Pirates and Sheetz utilized the names, images, and likenesses of several players without obtaining the necessary licenses and authorizations, despite the recent introduction of a Sheetz patch on the Pirates' uniforms being permissible. The lawsuit specifically points to at least 20 social media posts that featured prominent players, including Paul Skenes, Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutchen, and Nick Gonzales. It argues that these posts, which the union claims unjustly enriched the defendants, were published without the required group licensing agreement. The MLB Players Inc. (MLBPI), the for-profit subsidiary of the MLB Players Association, filed the suit, emphasizing that the Pirates were informed both before and after the posts went live that using three or more players without proper licensing would infringe on their rights. The union contends that the ongoing availability of these posts on social media platforms has caused irreparable harm to the players and the MLBPI. In response to these allegations, the players union is seeking both preliminary and permanent injunctions to halt the promotional activities, as well as compensatory and punitive damages against the Pirates and Sheetz.