Pippen alleged his endorsement and personal appearance opportunities dwindled as a result of the false accusations. He sued a host of defendants including the CBS Corporation and NBCUniversal Media, arguing he had been defamed and cast in a false light, according to court documents.
The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Illinois, Eastern Division dismissed Pippen’s case. While a number of the suits were terminated in 2012, he then appealed the decision to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Seventh Circuit, according to court documents.
While Pippen argued that the media companies’ reports caused his prospective deals to shrink after they were published online, the judge ruled out that there was a causal relationship.
“Since Pippen’s opportunities diminished after the statements were made, he believes they must have diminished because the statements were made,” the judge wrote. “This theory of causation is weak for professional athletes, whose earning related to past stardom drop as time passes since their playing days.”