Lawsuit: George Brett falsely advertises necklaces / LJWorld.com

Archive for Tuesday, February 7, 2012

Lawsuit: George Brett falsely advertises necklaces

February 7, 2012

Iowa City — Lawyers are seeking class-action status for a lawsuit that claims Hall of Fame slugger George Brett has been falsely advertising necklaces and bracelets as being able to help improve health and sports performance.

A lawsuit filed Monday in federal court in Des Moines claims Spokane Valley, Wash.-based Brett Bros. Sports International Inc. has falsely claimed its Ionic Necklaces help customers relieve pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back, recover from sports fatigue and improve focus. The company has also falsely claimed its bracelets, which include two roller magnets, would relieve wrist, hand and elbow pain, the lawsuit said.

Brett, who was inducted to the Hall of Fame in 1999 after a 21-year career with the Kansas City Royals, has been president of the company since 2001 and appears in its advertisements.

The claims appeared on the company's website from 2008 to 2010, and still appear on the packaging of the products and on the websites of its distributors, according to the lawsuit.

"Most consumers, when reading these claims, and seeing the products endorsed by a high-profile baseball player, assume that these products have the health benefits that are marketed and advertised and that scientifically significant research supports statements made by Brett Bros., when in fact that is not the case," reads the lawsuit, which alleges the company has violated the state Consumer Frauds Act and been unjustly enriched.

The lawsuit says an Iowa man, Seth Thompson of Adel, bought one of the necklaces for $30 at the College World Series in Omaha last year after reading Brett's endorsement of them. He hoped the product would reduce stress and fatigue and boost his energy and concentration, but none of those benefits were realized, rendering the product "useless to him," the lawsuit says.

His lawyers, who include Bart Goplerud of West Des Moines and two from firms in Los Angeles, are asking a federal judge to approve a class-action lawsuit on behalf of thousands of customers who have bought the products in the last four years. Total damages "are likely in the millions of dollars," the lawsuit says.

A representative of Brett Bros., which also sells baseball accessories such as bats and baseballs, did not return an inquiry seeking comment.

Brett, 58, retired from baseball in 1993 after accumulating 3,154 hits and 317 home runs, winning three batting titles and making 13 All-Star teams.

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rockchalker52 1 year, 3 months ago

George Brett, the ionic man. 'We have the technology to bilk them.'

catfishturkeyhunter 1 year, 3 months ago

So what. The Royals falsely advertise baseball.

snap_pop_no_crackle 1 year, 3 months ago

+10

jhawkinsf 1 year, 3 months ago

Now that's funny. Very good.

Coach_Eric 1 year, 3 months ago

Only to the ignorant and ill-informed. But hey, don't miss the opp for a cheap joke!

KISS 1 year, 3 months ago

And because Mr. Thompson is dumb and spent $30.00 on a silly product that shockingly did not work, he feels he is entitled to hundreds of thousands of dollars for pain and suffering? Give me a break. Give the man his $30.00 back and call it good.

jehovah_bob 1 year, 3 months ago

Hundreds of thousands of dollars??? In a class action? He'll be lucky to get his $30 back.

blindrabbit 1 year, 3 months ago

This comment was removed by the site staff for violation of the usage agreement.

whatupdown 1 year, 3 months ago

It does do all it says but its mind over body or it works if you belive it does. The placebo effect is real.

thebigspoon 1 year, 3 months ago

Maybe George should have endorsed a bracelet that would have helped with hemorrhoids instead then he wouldn't have missed those playoff games in 1980 ????

Hong_Kong_Phooey 1 year, 3 months ago

Now THIS is what gives attorneys a bad name: trying to turn a stupid $30 purchase - for what most reasonable people believe to be a bunch of bullpucky anyways - into a class action suit in which the attorneys will likely get 40-50% of any settlement, with the remainder divvied up between the "thousands" of class members.

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 3 months ago

Sure, they were stupid to fall for the scam. But it was still a scam.

kernal 1 year, 3 months ago

Hey, Seth, I have some magic corn for ya! Guaranteed to grow if you exclusively use Monsanto herbacides up there in Ioway. (Disclaimer: seller not responsible for possible DNA mutations or soil sterilization from use)

Yeoman2 1 year, 3 months ago

This is yet another example of how incredibly dumb and ignorant the buying public can be. Any intelligent person that fell for this scam deserves to lose his money. I would wonder why Mr. Brett would associate himself with such a ridiculous and fraudulant scheme.

P.T. Barnm said it. "There is a sucker born every minute and two to take him".

Better to take your money to the casino so you can win big bucks from the gaming tables.

George_Braziller 1 year, 3 months ago

Brett didn't "associate" himself with the company. The article says that he has been president of the company since 2001.

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 3 months ago

Never bet against Brett-- even if he was selling snake oil.

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 3 months ago

Why do you feel the need to conflate gay and pedophile, and use George Brett to do it?

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 3 months ago

I guess his mathness had to leave the building before he could explain his publicly displayed latent tendencies.

just_another_bozo_on_this_bus 1 year, 3 months ago

And it's also not far-fetched that one pathological liar might know another one-- or that it only takes one to cast baseless aspersions, anyway.

SFBayhawk 1 year, 3 months ago

George shows his California roots. He could widen his audience by getting Shirley MacLaine in on the business. Hopefully this "class action" goes to court and is nationally televised. It could out rate Jerry Springer.

milkman_dan 1 year, 3 months ago

Hey maybe all those guys aren't wearing right.

wissmo 1 year, 3 months ago

Is it too late to for a lawsuit against the manufacturer and promoters of my X Ray glasses purchased in 1965?

evilpenguin 1 year, 3 months ago

People who eat at Applebees

wissmo 1 year, 3 months ago

Seriously a couple of questions. Why a sports hero like Brett seems to be bashed by KC area folks most of the time? Two, Brett's company or companies he's formed with his family members are outstanding examples of professional marketing. Why an article like this when any auto parts store could more than fit the bill for useless auto additives?

If you're a serious baseball or softball player the Brett Bros. Bat Company should be must shop site.

punkrockmom 1 year, 3 months ago

Hey, we had a Brett Bros. necklace. My daughter got it because the color matched her team colors. It made her happy. She wore it to practice where her exercising made her healthier, happier, and more invigorated. Was that the necklace? No, she would have had the same results going to practice without it. That's not to say she wasn't devastated when the dog ate her necklace. She still wants another one. She isn't even playing this year. Maybe if I buy her another one, she'll go back into softball. I am going to pin those hopes on George Brett and not even think about how she has all these other activities planned. And while I'm at it, I think I'll sue the dog since it is obviously his fault that she's not playing any more!