Jack Nicklaus has been awarded $50 million in damages after profitable a defamation lawsuit in opposition to Nicklaus Firms, the agency that after managed his model and enterprise pursuits.
The 85-year-old accused the corporate, owned by billionaire American banker Howard Milstein, of falsely claiming he was affected by dementia and mentally unfit to deal with his personal affairs.
The lawsuit additionally addressed accusations that Nicklaus had engaged in talks with the Saudi-backed LIV Golf league over a $750 million deal to grow to be its public face, claims he denied.
On Monday, a Florida jury unanimously sided with Nicklaus, concluding that the statements made by Nicklaus Firms harmed his repute and subjected him to “ridicule, hatred, distrust, mistrust, and contempt.”
Again in 2007, Nicklaus Firms paid the 18-time main champion $145 million for unique rights to his golf course design providers, together with rights to make use of his identify, picture, and likeness for advertising and marketing and branding.
Nicklaus stepped down from the corporate’s board in 2017 and formally left in 2022, triggering a five-year non-compete clause that barred him from designing programs.
LIV GOLF
After the non-compete expired in 2022, Nicklaus Firms sued him for breach of contract and commenced making damaging public claims concerning his psychological well being and alleged negotiations with LIV Golf.
“What mattered most was when the corporate advised the world Jack was promoting out the PGA Tour to Saudi golf, which was fully unfaithful,” mentioned Nicklaus’s lawyer, Eugene Stearns, in a press release to ESPN.
Addressing the claims about Nicklaus’s psychological competence, Stearns added: “They mentioned issues like, ‘That you must have the keys taken away.’ We’re happy that Jack has been vindicated.”
In line with court docket paperwork, Nicklaus by no means pursued any take care of LIV Golf. His solely interplay got here in 2021, when he met with Golf Saudi after being requested to design a course within the area.
He declined a suggestion to characterize LIV Golf, citing his loyalty to the PGA Tour and the significance of preserving its legacy.
The jury additionally cleared Howard Milstein and Nicklaus Firms government Andrew O’Brien of non-public legal responsibility within the case.
Nicklaus retains the rights to his personal identify, picture, and likeness, whereas Nicklaus Firms continues to personal and market the logos it bought, together with the long-lasting “Golden Bear” identify and logos, which it makes use of on clothes and golf gear.
Jack Nicklaus designed signature programs within the UK embody, St Mellion (Nicklaus), London Golf Membership (Heritage), Carden Park (Nicklaus) Gleneagles (PGA Centenary)
