NFL demands $16 million over M.I.A.'s Super Bowl middle finger

We guess they didn’t buy her Hindu gesture defense.

The NFL has been pursuing M.I.A. in arbitration for the better part of two years, ever since the controversial artist flipped the bird during the 2012 Super Bowl halftime show.

While the league’s initial demand of $1.5 million for alleged breach of contract and for tarnishing their brand seemed excessive, their latest demands are even more shocking. The Hollywood Reporter reports that the NFL is demanding an additional $15.1 million in “restitution” for the value of public exposure that she received during the performance (for which she wasn’t paid).

“The claim for restitution lacks any basis in law, fact, or logic,” according to M.I.A.’s legal response, which claims that “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.”

Read the full complaint now; we doubt this is the last we’ve heard of this case. For non-NFL M.I.A. info, FACT’s Chal Ravens sat down with her late last year.

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