'Your papers, please' must never be heard in America
Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall is suing the parent company of the Champion sports apparel maker, calling the decision to drop his endorsement deal over his tweets about the death of Osama bin Laden and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks a breach of contract.
Cleveland shows love for star as other cities woo him.
"An athlete contracts away his free speech rights in signing his endorsement deal," said Jeffrey Standen, a sports law professor and associate dean at Willamette University College of Law in Salem, Ore. "What the sponsor is buying is the athlete's name and image, and their name and image are related to public behavior and opinions."
"If lawmakers were able to vary the tax burden for LeBron, like they often do to attract new industry, then we'd really see cities compete for athletic stars," he said.
