A Texas-based company has sued presumptive No. 1 NFL draft pick Andrew Luck, claiming its First Amendment right to produce trading cards with his image.
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Leaf Trading Cards LLC filed the lawsuit April 20 in Dallas County court. The company said it uses images of Luck from the 2008 U.S. Army All-American Bowl -- a high school all-star game played in San Antonio -- to which it has the rights.
Leaf said it brought the suit after the Stanford quarterback's attorney demanded the company stop selling the cards, as they infringed on Luck's "publicity rights," the company said in a statement.
"Leaf Trading Cards is disappointed that it was forced to submit this matter to the judicial system," Leaf attorney O. Luke Davis III said in a statement released by the company. "We are confident, however, that the court will find that Leaf has the right to produce and sell the Andrew Luck trading cards."
The company hasn't indicated if it will seek damages from Luck, but by filing a declaratory judgment, the company may only attempt to assert the right to produce the trading card.
Luck is expected to be the No. 1 overall pick by the Indianapolis Colts in this week's NFL draft.
