10 Times Athletes Got Sued in the Most Ridiculous Ways
Fame and fortune come with a price, and sometimes, that price includes absurd lawsuits that leave athletes shaking their heads.
- Chris Graciano
- 3 min read
Professional athletes make millions, but that also makes them prime targets for bizarre lawsuits. From fans demanding payback for bad performances to bizarre claims over tattoos and nicknames, some legal cases are downright laughable. Here are 10 of the most ridiculous lawsuits ever filed against athletes.
1. Michael Jordan – Sued for Looking Too Much Like a Fan
Kip-koech on Flickr
A man in Portland sued Jordan and Nike for $832 million, claiming he suffered emotional distress because people kept mistaking him for the basketball legend. He insisted Jordan’s fame had made his life unbearable.
2. LeBron James – Sued Over His Own Tattoo
SRA Sheila deVera on Wikimedia Commons
A tattoo artist sued LeBron and video game companies for using his ink in NBA 2K without permission. The lawsuit argued that the artist, not LeBron, owned the rights to the body art.
3. Derrick Rose – Sued for Missing a Bulls Game
U.S. Navy photo by Sue Krawczyk on Wikimedia Commosn
A Chicago Bulls fan took legal action after Rose sat out a game due to injury, claiming the ticket price should include a guarantee that he’d play. The lawsuit argued that fans paid specifically to see Rose, not just any player on the team.
4. Cristiano Ronaldo – Sued for a Disappointing Friendly Match
Pavel Soro London on Wikimedia Commons
South Korean fans filed a lawsuit after Ronaldo didn’t play in a 2019 exhibition game despite promotional materials promising he would. The organizers refunded the tickets, but the frustration lingered.
5. Allen Iverson – Sued Over His Nickname
Keith Allison on Wikimedia Commons
A businessman claimed he trademarked “The Answer” before Iverson used it and demanded millions in compensation. Iverson had been using the nickname since high school, making the lawsuit particularly absurd.
6. Tiger Woods – Sued for Ruining a Man’s Marriage
Wikimedia Commons
A man sued Woods, claiming that the golfer’s cheating scandal had inspired his wife to leave him. He argued that Woods’ behavior set a bad example and destroyed his marriage.
7. Kobe Bryant – Sued Over “Black Mamba” Name
Eric Draper on Wikimedia Commons
A pharmaceutical company claimed it owned the rights to the name “Black Mamba” and sued Bryant for using it as his personal brand. Bryant fought back, arguing that his nickname had been well-established before the company existed.
8. Ben Roethlisberger – Sued for a Bad Autograph
Erik Drost on Wikimedia Commons
A fan sued Big Ben after paying for an autograph that he claimed was fake. The lawsuit insisted that the signature didn’t match Roethlisberger’s usual style and sought damages.
9. Charles Barkley – Sued for a Bar Tab
Scott LaPierre on Wikimedia Commons
Barkley was taken to court by a restaurant owner who claimed he skipped out on a $70 bar tab. Instead of fighting the case, Barkley admitted he forgot to pay and settled immediately.
10. Shaquille O’Neal – Sued for Pranking a Co-Worker
Keith Allison on Wikimedia Commons
Shaq playfully tackled a TNT co-worker, leading to a bizarre lawsuit claiming the prank caused “severe injuries.” The case seemed exaggerated, as the co-worker was seen laughing afterward.