Wednesday, September 30, 2015

Judge dismisses sleeping Yankees fan's $10M defamation lawsuit against ESPN (VIDEO)

A New York City judge has ruled that the Yankees fan who was caught on camera nodding off during a game last spring, while ESPN announcers commented about his slumber, has no legal basis for filing a $10 million lawsuit against the network for poking fun at his impromptu baseball bedtime.

Andrew Rector, a used car salesman from the Bronx, was caught sleeping in his seat by a camera during a game between the Boston Red Sox and New York Yankees in April last year.


The drowsy fan later made national headlines by suing MLB Advanced Media, the Yankees, ESPN and announcing team Dan Schulman and Jon Kruk for $10 million after they made fun of his unusual place for nap time. He even appeared with Matt Lauer on Today and said, "I have a reputation too."

However, the defamation lawsuit was dismissed by Bronx judge Julia Rodriguez late last month after she found that he did not have grounds to sue.



Rector, who was greeted by a round of applause from the stadium crowd when he woke up, said he suffered "mental anguish" because of the ordeal.

He alleged in his suit that the broadcasters published statements against him that allegedly called him a "fatty cow," "stupid," "socially bankrupt" and a "symbol of failure."

Although Schulman and Kruk said none of those words.

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