A legal action has been taken by a business subsidiary of the Major League Baseball Players Association against the parent company of the Pittsburgh Pirates and the convenience store chain Sheetz Inc. The lawsuit, filed in U.S. District Court in Pittsburgh, accuses the companies of using players’ names and images on social media without proper licensing. The complaint alleges violations of Pennsylvania laws regarding unauthorized use of identities, misappropriation of identity, and unjust enrichment. MLB Players Inc. has requested an injunction against the Pirates and Sheetz, along with seeking damages.

The legal action stems from a jersey patch sponsorship agreement between the Pirates and Sheetz that was announced on June 21. The lawsuit claims that posts on Instagram, Twitter, and Facebook by both the team and Sheetz featured the images of several players, including Paul Skenes, Oneil Cruz, Andrew McCutcheon, Nick Gonzales, Carmen Mlodzinski, and Connor Joe, without appropriate authorization.

Neither Sheetz nor the Pittsburgh Pirates have responded to requests for comments made by the media. The situation reflects a dispute over the alleged unauthorized use of players’ likenesses, prompting legal action by the MLB Players Association’s business entity.