Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
StumbleWSOP tourney winner sues Harrah’s over marketing
Published Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 | 2:10 a.m.
Updated Wednesday, Oct. 28, 2009 | 2:51 p.m.
A World Series of Poker tournament winner is suing Harrah's and the World Series of Poker Academy, charging they've been using her name and likeness for advertising without authorization and falsely claiming she endorses the academy.
Sally Anne Boyer filed suit Monday in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas against Harrah's Operating Company Inc., owner of the World Series of Poker; as well as Post-Oak Productions Inc. of Toronto, doing business as the World Series of Poker Academy; and Post-Oak owners Brandon Rosen and Jeff Goldenberg.
But the World Series of Poker Academy on Wednesday disputed the allegations and said Boyer willingly participated in its advertising.
Boyer, of Midway, Utah, won the World Series of Poker's Ladies No-Limit Hold'em World Championship in June 2007, winning $262,077 in cash, a WSOP bracelet and a Corum watch.
"Soon thereafter, the WSOP Academy began extensive marketing efforts, using Boyer's recent win to widely market itself as an academy that breeds success in tournaments," the lawsuit charges.
The lawsuit says the WSOP Academy educational business was launched by Harrah's in January 2007 and that Harrah's granted a license to Post-Oak to manage, produce and market all WSOP Academy events and that Post-Oak is a partner or in a joint venture arrangement with Harrah's.
Boyer charges the WSOP Academy has published advertisements with a photo of Boyer with her winnings and attributing to her a quote, "The quickest way to your WSOP Bracelet!," and calling her an "Academy Graduate."
But her lawsuit claims she only attended one day of a two-day WSOP Academy event, did not complete the course and is not a graduate of the academy.
"Boyer never said nor authorized a statement on her behalf to the effect that participating in the WSOP Academy was 'the quickest way to your WSOP Bracelet!' or intimating that her success in the tournament was attributable to her experience attending one day of a two-day WSOP Academy event," the lawsuit charges.
Advertising associating Boyer with the academy has been published in Bluff magazine, on the WSOP Academy Web site, in e-mail marketing and in academy newsletters, the lawsuit says.
The suit asserts claims of false endorsement and violation of the Nevada right of publicity law that Boyer says grants her the right of publicity associated with her name, voice, signature, photograph and likeness.
The suit seeks unspecified damages; a restraining order, an injunction and recovery of profits allegedly associated with the use of Boyer's name and likeness. The suit was filed by attorneys with the Henderson law firm of Bowler Dixon & Twitchell LLP.
Harrah's did not immediately respond to a request for comment. But Goldenberg, co-owner of Post-Oak, disputed the allegations in the lawsuit Wednesday and provided an August 2007 e-mail from Boyer.
In the e-mail, Boyer responded to Post-Oak's request that she be included in an advertisement.
"Think the latest ad looks fine. I'd like to mail you a better picture I have of myself in my 'poker tournament attire' which you could use for future ads if you like," Boyer said in the e-mail.
The academy has been promoting upcoming academies at prices ranging from $1,899 to $2,999.
Discussion: comments so far…
Comments are moderated by Las Vegas Sun editors. Our goal is not to limit the discussion, but rather to elevate it. Comments should be relevant and contain no abusive language. Comments that are off-topic, vulgar, profane or include personal attacks will be removed. Full comments policy. Additionally, we now display comments from trusted commenters by default. Those wishing to become a trusted commenter need to verify their identity or sign in with Facebook Connect to tie their Facebook account to their Las Vegas Sun account. For more on this change, read our story about how it works and why we did it.
Only trusted comments are displayed on this page. Untrusted comments have expired from this story.
No trusted comments have been posted.
Post a comment
Most Popular
- Viewed
- Discussed
- E-mailed
- South Point owner Michael Gaughan’s take on ‘Vegas Stripped’: ‘I’ll give it an 8’
- Coolican: Henderson officials out of loop on police brutality case, raising red flags
- See mug shots of 16 arrested in stolen-property police sting
- Lumberjacks — ‘Where the Big Boys Eat’ — hiring for North Las Vegas location
- Berkley draws stark contrasts with Heller over immigration
- Conceptual design unveiled for Henderson Space and Science Center
- Rebels open as a 9.5-point favorite against No. 13 San Diego State
- Send your loved one a virtual Vegas Valentine’s Day card right now
- Short memories may serve president
- Howard Miller, prominent lawyer and ‘true Las Vegas native,’ dies at 68
Blogs
The Kats Report
Live color from the scene at Thomas & Mack Center: We have a wire job! Rebels win, and Louie Armstrong sings!
South Point owner Michael Gaughan's take on 'Vegas Stripped': 'I'll give it an 8' (3 Comments)
Author relishes writing the life story of ‘larger-than-life’ Oscar Goodman (3 Comments)
Elsewhere
Landowner: All roads could lead to Uxbridge casino
Revel reveals smoke-free casino opening
Cirque du Soleil show in Sands China casino to close this month
Meet the woman behind Sheldon Adelson
The Sun
Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
Grandma, You missed the point Harrah's did not have permission to use her name or likeness in it's advertising. She never claimed to be anything special although she won a championship which is more than can be said for you. If Hellmuth is your hero then you are a nit wit. As a matter of fact she admits to attending one day of classes and never went back. I guess she won her the chamionship without taking lessons from the loud mouth,a hole Hellmuth who is a fraud.
Why do ladies need their own World Series of Poker like they need their own Golf and Tennis matches? Is it because they are as inferior to men mentally as physically or something else? Maybe we should set aside a set of Ladies Nobel Prizes too so they can more successfully compete there too...
Some years ago we had to sign paper that gave the WSOP permission to do certain things. I don't remember but I think it had to do with permission to use any person for advertising purposes and promotions. However, saying she completed the course when she did not is something else.
This woman seems to be dishonest and greedy. If she claims that she never went to the Academy of the WSOP how does she explain this? "I attended the Ladies World Series of Poker Academy this past weekend which was amazingly helpful helped my confidence level and my skill. I just love it, can't wait to do more"
Video - http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wHPIz_BEb...
Interview - http://www.pokerlistings.com/poker-playe...
Grandma, please put down the hooch and pay attention. It is Miss Boyer's legal RIGHT to pursue this action. The WSOP violated her rights, and need to pay the price. And BTW, is your name really Grandma Helmuth?
You know, Harrah's has a reputation for fleecing those whom they feel they can.
WSOP players are dumb low IQ blue state retards who can't hold down a real job.