Federal appeals court upholds dismissal of lawsuit from former Kings announcer

A federal appeals court ruled Thursday that Bonneville International Corp. acted legally when it fired former Sacramento Kings announcer Grant Napear in 2020. The company terminated Napear after he replied to a social media inquiry from former Kings player Demarcus Cousins with the phrase "All Lives Matter." Napear filed a lawsuit alleging the broadcasting company punished him for private speech unrelated to his professional duties. However, the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals determined that Napear’s contract required him to maintain a high standard of responsibility on social media because his public persona was tied to his employer. The three-judge panel concluded that the company had a right to protect its reputation from speech linked to his professional capacity. Napear's legal representative indicated plans to request a hearing before a larger panel or seek review from the Supreme Court.

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