Lions legend Barry Sanders wants nothing to do with the taste of the “Same Old Lions”. And the running back is threatening legal action against a Detroit brewery trying to capitalize on the Hall of Fame running back’s likeness to market a beer that makes fun of the Lions’ losing legacy.
Sanders was unhappy to learn that his likeness, in vintage video game fashion, was used on the can of the “Same Old Lager” from Eastern Market Brewing Co. in Detroit.
From the Detroit Free Press, which Sanders later cites in his Tweet,
Enter Eastern Market Brewing Co., which has been debuting new and tasty beers left and right from its Detroit location and its Ferndale Project taproom this year. Going into the Lions-Panthers game Sunday, it announced a new beer release: “Same Old Lager,” a crisp, 4.5% alcohol-by-volume lager that has one simple request: “Don’t set your expectations too high.”
Some of you may have seen this in the @freep today – I have no affiliation with this company, and they are using my image without any permission. My legal team is working through the process to shut this down ASAP. Apologies to any fans that were duped. pic.twitter.com/STCnX2fuGS
— Barry Sanders (@BarrySanders) November 23, 2020
It’s a clever marketing ploy by the brewer, albeit one they should have clearly run past Sanders himself before rolling it out. The beer is not currently available on the brewer’s website.