Wednesday, August 21, 1996
Car Dealers' Group Sues Irvin, Alleging Arrest
Spoiled Ad Campaign
By the Associated Press
(August 21, 1996)
DALLAS (AP) - Michael Irvin will feel the scorn of a group of
car dealers' who allege the Dallas Cowboys' receiver's drug trial
and tarnished image ruined a lavish advertising campaign.
And it could be costly.
The North Texas Toyota Dealers Association sued Irvin on Tuesday
for about $1.4 million in damages, alleging that the football
star misrepresented himself as a moral person when he signed
an endorsement contract on Feb. 12.
"Had the dealers association known of Michael Irvin's immoral
lifestyle, it would not have entered into the (endorsement) agreement,"
the lawsuit states.
The group also wants state District Judge Candace Tyson to order
Irvin to immediately return a 1996 Toyota Land Cruiser that was
furnished him for one year under the terms of the contract.
"I had a lawyer chasing down that car, but he's refused
to return it," said Larry Friedman of Dallas, the association's
attorney.
Telephone calls to Irvin's agent, Steve Endicott of Dallas, went
unanswered Tuesday.
Irving police found Irvin, a former teammate and two topless
dancers in a motel room on March 4, along with marijuana, cocaine
and drug paraphernalia.
The scandal prompted the dealers group to scrap a spring advertising
campaign, at the last minute, that had cost the association $200,000,
including $110,000 for Irvin's services, Friedman said.
The lawsuit seeks to recover the lost cost of the campaign, along
with $1.2 million the group alleged that it lost in sales because
of the aborted campaign, plus court costs.
All content copyright 1996, AP, The Abilene
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