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CHICAGO — from www.abclocal.go.com – National Football League officials on Friday said that they issued a Cease and Desist order to the promoters of a porn star convention called “Exxxotica” that used NFL players in an advertisement, including a member of the Chicago Bears and a top draft pick from the University of Illinois.
The ads that featured photos of Chicago Bears safety Major Wright and named U of I football standout Corey Liuget were exposed by the ABC7 I-Team in Tuesday night’s Intelligence Report. Wright and Liuget were among several NFL players and draftees in the ad, promoting Exxxotica’s porn expo in Miami last month.
A similar event is scheduled to be held at the Rosemont Convention Center in suburban Chicago on July 8-10.
The Cease and Desist letter to Victory Tradeshow Management of Philadelphia, promoter of Exxxotica, cited the NFL’s objection to the use of league trademarks, such as the Chicago Bears logo and uniform visible in the photo of Major Wright.
He and the other NFL players were all advertised as “hosting” the gathering of porn actresses, although Wright and Liuget have denied knowing that they were lending their names to such an event.
“The public is likely to mistakenly believe that your event has been authorized or sponsored by, or is somehow affiliated with the NFL” wrote league assistant counsel Sarah Crutcher.
Even if the individual players had consented to participate in the porn kick-off party, Crutcher told promoters that players are not legally entitled to give permission for the use of “registered uniform and helmet designs.”
The NFL is currently in contract talks with the players’ union and cannot have communication with individual players. League officials and team executives therefore cannot directly express their dismay to players who were depicted in the Exxxotica ads.
However, the Cease and Desist letter states that the “unauthorized use of the NFL Trademarks is particularly egregious because it is in connection with an event featuring adult entertainment and pornography.”
The NFL is demanding that all promotional material be taken down by the promoter by Monday and that written compliance be sent to the league.
“We are currently looking into the NFL’s accusations and take their concerns very seriously” said Adella Curry, a spokesperson for the Exxxotica Expo.
“We are talking with our corporate council, Fattorosi & Associates, and we will be making a formal response both publicly as well as to the NFL on Monday.”
After first denying any involvement in the Miami event, Chicago Bears safety Major Wright late Wednesday afternoon issued an apology, claiming that he did lend his name to a club party but didn’t know it was for the Exxxotica Expo.
“I had no knowledge and never would have given authority for my name or likeness to be associated with Exotica Expo 2011” Wright stated via his agent. “I am deeply disappointed that my name and likeness was manipulated by the promoters of this event.”
Wright said that the use of his “picture in a Chicago Bear uniform was never discussed or approved.”
The I-Team found that Major Wright has apparently allowed the very same photo to be used in ads for two other events at other Miami nightclubs, both posted on Wright’s personal internet page.