An Ohio high school exercised some fine print in a naming rights agreement to remove former NFL Pro Bowl running back Le’Veon Bell’s name from its football field.
As reported by On3, the decision of Groveport Madison High School stems from a Franklin County jury order wherein Le’Veon and his brother La’Vonte Bell must collectively pay more than $36 million for allegedly sexually abusing a cousin when she was a child. Le'Veon's share of the damages ruling is reportedly $25 million.
"Court records revealed that Le’Veon Bell continued to perpetrate the abuse until 2017," On3's Lawrence Fernandez wrote. "Worst yet, his brother is ordered to pay $11 million for continuing the abuse until the family member became an adult. However, the Bell brothers did not face criminal charges."
Le'Veon Bell's NFL career spanned 10 seasons — from 2013, when the Michigan State University All-American was drafted by the Pittsburgh Steelers, to 2021. In 2017, he reportedly agreed to donate $750,000 to his high school alma mater to cover the cost of installing synthetic turf, prompting the school to name the field after him. While a member of the Groveport Madison Cruisers, Bell amassed 3,216 rushing yards and 43 total touchdowns in three Ohio high school football seasons, Fernandez reported, adding that Bell allegedly donated only $300,000 to the school as of 2020, the last time he made a payment.
The naming rights agreement that Groveport Madison Local School District had with Bell stated that any moral offense he committed allowed the district to cancel the agreement. For the immediate future, the Groveport Madison football team will continue to play at Cruiser Stadium, but on a nameless field.
