More Elements of Autograph Contract Revealed
Brian Urlacher’s autograph contract offered easy money, but also plenty of restrictions.
We’ve been reporting since late last week on Brian Urlacher’s lawsuit over a terminated autograph contract he signed in 2007.
Just days after Urlacher suffered a season-ending injury on September 13, Dreams, Inc sent the Bears’ linebacker a letter telling him that it was voiding the second half of his four-year, $1.1 million deal.
Urlacher’s attorneys say it was a dirty rotten thing to do–and not legal according to the contract. As we reported yesterday, It’s the fine print that seems to be at the heart of whether Urlacher has a case. He’ll miss 15 games and 16 regular season weeks with the wrist issue. The contract states Dreams can end the deal if he’s out for 16 weeks, but Urlacher’s reps say that part is open to interpretation based on the NFL schedule.
Now, more details about the actual contract itself are coming out. It’s a fascinating look at big money exclusive autograph deals that are employed by the major memorabilia companies, and we presume, the card companies.
Urlacher’s contract includes a price per signature and per inscription. It has performance bonuses, just like his players contract with the Bears. It includes appearances, special perks like first class airline tickets and even limitations on what Urlacher can sign when he’s not signing for Dreams.
CNBC offers up more details on what was in the agreement.
Dreams subsidiary ProSportsMemorabilia.com has over 60 different autographed Urlacher items for sale, ranging from jerseys to photos and even pink Bears helmets at prices generally ranging from $150-600.


