Paddy Power settles with former Irish football star
News on 22 Dec 2015
News on 22 Dec 2015
Online and land bookmaking firm Paddy Power paid a price for its high-risk controversial advertising strategy earlier this month when it agreed to pay an undisclosed settlement amount to former Irish football star Roy Keane, who has now dropped his legal suit against the company.
Our readers will recall that Paddy Power made unauthorised use of Keane’s image on a provocative 40 foot moving billboard which was displayed around Dublin prior to a major Ireland vs. Scotland game. Keane’s image was incorporated into that of William Wallace, a medieval Scots
Hero in the top-grossing movie Braveheart, along with the message: “You may take our points, but at least we have our freedom. (Ya wee Pussies).”
Keane has a professional playing history in Scotland as well as England and Ireland, and claimed the Paddy Power slogan had the potential to harm his reputation in Scotland, in addition to the unauthorised use of his image.
The case made it as far as the commercial courts before Paddy Power apparently folded and agreed a settlement, which was announced by the court last week.
