• by Wendy Davis  @wendyndavis, December 8, 2006

In more bad news for Yahoo, it was revealed Thursday that football star Tom Brady has sued the Internet company for using his image to promote the company's fast-growing fantasy football program.

The lawsuit, quietly filed late last month in federal court in California, claims that Yahoo featured the New England Patriots quarterback's image and jersey number in a full-page Sports Illustrated ad in September. Yahoo also used Brady's likeness in banner ads on the Yahoo Sports pages, according to the complaint. News of the lawsuit was first reported Thursday by The Smoking Gun.

"Yahoo intentionally and wilfully used Tom Brady's likeness, image and identity to advertise and promote its Fantasy Football website and services for the 2006 football season," stated the complaint, filed by Brady's management company, TEB Capital Management.

Brady alleged that Yahoo allegedly misled people into thinking that he endorsed the fantasy football service. He also accused Yahoo of violating his "rights of publicity" or his ability to control how his identity is used in ads.

News of the suit comes the same week that Yahoo underwent a major shakeup resulting in chief operating officer Dan Rosensweig and media group head Lloyd Braun both leaving the company.

Yahoo's fantasy football drew 5.7 million Web visitors in October--up 16% from the year before, according to comScore Networks. Rival ESPN Fantasy Index also proved popular online, drawing 3.1 million uniques in October--up from 2.3 million the year before.

Yahoo did not return a telephone call seeking comment.