Former ‘Last Chance U’ Football Players File $30 Million Lawsuit Against Netflix

Originally posted on BroBible | By Douglas Charles | Last updated Feb 12, 2025 4:14 PM ET

Six former football players from East Mississippi Community College are suing Netflix over their appearance in the docuseries Last Chance U. The players appeared in the first two seasons of the series, which aired in 2016 and 2017.

According to Sportico, the players are suing the streamer, production company Conde Nast Entertainment, East Mississippi Community College, Last Chance U showrunner Greg Whiteley and the National Junior College Athletic Association for $30 million.

John Franklin III, Ronald Ollie, Cary Sidney Reavis II, Deandre Johnson, Tim Bonner, and Isaiah Wright (pictured above) claim their Names, Images and Likenesses (NIL) were exploited and their reputations were harmed from appearing in the Last Chance U docuseries, as well as in a reunion episode that aired in 2018.

“Plaintiffs were misled and unaware of the potential commercial value the footage had,” John Pierce, the players’ attorney, wrote in the lawsuit. “However, defendants were aware of the high probability the documentary would turn into a highly profitable production.”

“Plaintiffs received no compensation from Netflix, Conde Nast, or any other party for their significant contribution to Last Chance U,” the lawsuit claims. Ollie claims that the docuseries caused the Baltimore Ravens to not sign him and the Raiders to release him during the 2019 preseason.

“The image that Ronald Ollie being lazy, unmotivated, and lacking work ethic is a false narrative,” the lawsuit alleges. “However, Last Chance U portrayed him in a false light which destroyed career opportunities for Ronald Ollie.”

Wright, who was arrested and charged with criminal homicide in 2017 and later pleaded guilty to a charge of facilitation of aggravated robbery, claims Last Chance U caused “nearly impossible obstacles” for him to find employment.

The lawsuit, filed on Monday in California state court, accuses the defendants of state-based claims of misappropriation, violation of common law right of publicity, invasion of privacy, unjust enrichment, unfair business practices and defamation.

“Make no mistake, each of the defendants have been unjustly enriched by intruding upon the private lives of the plaintiffs, taking unfair advantage of them through defendants’ superior bargaining power, manipulating many of plaintiffs’ characters, along with other means for their own financial gain while sacrificing any decent reputation plaintiffs had,” the lawsuit claims.

This article first appeared on BroBible and was syndicated with permission.

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