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Cleveland Browns fan's suit against EA soon over

Lawyer for "Big Dawg" tells local paper that litigation over Madden NFL 09 appearance will be resolved, dismissed in coming weeks.

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Last month, Electronic Arts won the dismissal of a lawsuit brought against it by legendary Cleveland Browns running back Jim Brown. This month, the publisher appears to be on the verge of putting another Browns-related bit of litigation behind it, as the Cleveland Plain Dealer reports that a suit brought against EA by Browns superfan John Big Dawg Thompson is on the verge of resolution.

Terms were not disclosed, but court observers expect it to be at least seven figures of Kibbles & Bits.
Terms were not disclosed, but court observers expect it to be at least seven figures of Kibbles & Bits.

The paper cites Thompson's lawyer as saying the case will be dismissed within weeks. While the terms of the dismissal are confidential, Thompson's lawyer said his client was happy to have the case behind him.

Inducted into the Pro Football Hall of Fame's inaugural Hall of Fans class in 1999, the Big Dawg character sports a bug-eyed dogface mask, orange hardhat, oversize dog bone, and a Browns jersey with the number "98." A similarly outfitted fan wearing a "92" jersey can be seen in Madden NFL 09 in the same section of the Cleveland Browns stadium where Thompson appears during the team's home games.

In the original suit, Thompson had been seeking damages in excess of $25,000 and that EA be prevented from selling the game or using the Big Dawg persona without permission in the future.

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