Songwriter Pushes to Revive Copyright Lawsuit Against NBA Teams After Publishers Settle

A surprising twist has hit a major copyright-infringement case involving multiple NBA teams.

An independent songwriter has formally asked the court to reopen the lawsuit, even though the music publishers who originally filed the case have already settled with the franchises.

According to newly filed court documents, the songwriter filed a motion seeking to vacate the dismissal and allow the lawsuit to proceed.

The motion claims there is new evidence, along with allegations of fraud, misrepresentation, and misconduct connected to the original settlement.

The original case was brought by several well-known music publishers — including Artist Publishing Group, Kobalt Music Group, and Notting Hill Music — who accused over a dozen NBA teams of using copyrighted music without proper licenses.

The publishers later settled and closed the case.

However, the songwriter is now attempting to intervene, arguing that the dismissal should not be considered final.

In response, the publishers have filed their own statement, firmly opposing the attempt to revive the lawsuit.

They argue that:

• The case has already been fully resolved,

• The dismissal is final,

• and the individual requesting the reopening was never actually a party to the case.

They also noted that the songwriter did not provide any supporting evidence or exhibits with the motion, further weakening the request.

At this stage, the court has not made a decision.

But industry observers say the chances of the motion being approved are extremely low, especially given the strong objections from the publishers and the procedural issues surrounding the motion.

This is a developing story, and it highlights the ongoing tension between creators, publishers, and major sports organizations when it comes to copyright compliance and compensation.