Judge dismisses 1983 NC State national championship team's NIL lawsuit against NCAA
A North Carolina judge has dismissed a lawsuit filed by members of the 1983 NC State national championship men's basketball team. Twelve players were requesting to be compensated for their name, image and likenesses.
The 1983 Wolfpack were nicknamed the "Cardiac Pack" for recording several narrow wins during the NCAA Tournament that season. NC State defeated Houston, 54-52, in the 1983 national game with Lorenzo Charles providing the game-winning dunk at the buzzer. The team was coached by the legendary Jim Valvano, who was historically seen running onto the court as the game ended.
The players were requesting a jury trial and were looking for "reasonable compensation" in the lawsuit, which was filed in June 2024.
"For more than 40 years, the NCAA and its co-conspirators have systematically and intentionally misappropriated the Cardiac Pack's publicity rights -- including their names, images, and likenesses -- associated with that game and that play, reaping scores of millions of dollars from the Cardiac Pack's legendary victory," the lawsuit read.
The NCAA asked for the case to be thrown out after a lawsuit filed by a former Kansas basketball player was dismissed back in April.
"Because their claims are untimely, barred by their failure to allege a violation of a legally enforceable right, and preempted by the federal Copyright Act, dismissal of this action in its entirety is appropriate," Superior Court Judge Mark A. Davis wrote in a 44-page order Thursday, per ESPN.
Charles and leading scorer Dereck Whittenburg were not among the NC State players involved in the lawsuit.
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