Scandalous Games

The NCAA Video Game Lawsuits, Part 5: The Legend of Jon Dowd

Scandalous Games Episode 54

Historian Kevin Impellizeri shares a story of a video game controversy to his friends: Kate Lynch, Andy Hunter, and Phil Thomas. We've focused a lot on how college sports brings in billions of dollars while the athletes have seen little to none of that for the majority of their history. Today, we start looking at how video games became the battleground where athletes pushed back against the system. On top of that, we dive into the history of likeness rights in video games.

Topics discussed include: A dramatic reading of Michael Jordan: Chaos in the Windy City, Kevin performs a series of wardrobe changes totally suited for a non-visual medium, arguably the greatest baseball player to ever exist, and that time a Panamanian dictator took on the video game industry. Plus, another installment of "Scandalous Games Sports Chat!"

For more on the history of New York Mets fans storming the field, check out: Mike Vaccaro, "NYC fans have checkered history of storming field," New York Post, October 27, 2019, https://nypost.com/2019/10/26/nyc-fans-have-checkered-history-of-storming-field/.
For more on Vanderbilt fans throwing the goalposts into the Cumberland River, see: Aria Gerson, "Inside Vanderbilt football goalposts march to river: Obstacles, honky-tonks and a police escort," The Tennessean, October 9, 2024, https://www.tennessean.com/story/sports/college/vanderbilt/2024/10/09/vanderbilt-football-goal-post-river-alabama-nashville-broadway/75514929007/.
For more on the New Jersey Swamp Dragons, see: Zach Lowe, "Once upon a time, the Nets seriously considered becoming the Swamp Dragons," ESPN, December 14, 2021, https://www.espn.com/nba/story/_/id/15155466/once-nets-seriously-considered-becoming-swamp-dragons.

My fellow Americans: Go out and vote! Here are resources on voting, including registering, checking your registration status, identifying your polling place, and knowing your rights:
https://www.vote.org/
https://vote.gov/
https://www.vote411.org/
https://civilrights.justice.gov/voting-resources
https://www.eac.gov/voters

More info, including show notes and sources at http://scandalousgamespodcast.wordpress.com.