NFL wants $16.6 million from M.I.A. for middle finger incident

M.I.A.'s legal battle with the NFL is ongoing and the football league has upped its price.

Back in 2012, the Sri Lankan rapper performed at halftime during Super Bowl XLVI with Madonna. During their performance of "Give Me All Your Luvin'," M.I.A. put up her middle finger.

The NFL initially demanded $1.5 million from M.I.A., claiming that she breached her performance contract and tarnished the NFL's goodwill and reputation.

It has been reported that the NFL has added $15.1 million to their claim for restitution.

The Hollywood Reporter says the NFL's total $16.6 million is equivalent to the value of public exposure she received during her two-minute performance and is based on what advertisers would have paid to have ads aired during that time.

M.I.A. issued a response Friday (March 14) saying, "The claim for restitution lacks any basis in law, fact, or logic."

She even went on to say that the "continued pursuit of this proceeding is transparently an exercise by the NFL intended solely to bully and make an example of Respondents for daring to challenge NFL."

THR reports that the latest arbitration papers for M.I.A. go into the "profane, bawdy, lascivious, demeaning and/or unacceptable behavior by its players, team owners, coaching and management personnel and by performers chosen and endorsed by NFL to perform in its halftime shows."

In her own defense, M.I.A.'s papers say, "NFL, and NBC, failed to exercise ordinary care in the conduct of the Halftime show by not activating the '5 second delay' system in place for the broadcast."

Tags

M.I.A., NFL, Lawsuit