Key keywords: Frank Thomas lawsuit, Chicago White Sox, MLB Hall of Fame, Nike, Fanatics, right of publicity, merchandise licensing, trademark infringement Hall of Fame first baseman Frank "The Big Hurt" Thomas, one of the most iconic players in Chicago White Sox franchise history, has filed a federal lawsuit in the Northern District of Illinois against the White Sox, athletic apparel giant Nike, and sports merchandising leader Fanatics, alleging widespread unauthorized use of his name, image, likeness and iconic No. 35 jersey number on officially licensed MLB merchandise. According to court documents submitted by Thomas' legal team, the former two-time American League MVP entered into a limited licensing agreement with the White Sox shortly after his 2008 retirement, which granted the team rights to use his identity for select promotional and merchandise purposes. That agreement expired at the end of 2019, and Thomas declined multiple offers to renew the deal on terms he described as "grossly unfair and below industry standard for a player of his legacy status." Despite the expired contract, the lawsuit claims the White Sox continued to list Thomas as an officially licensed franchise legend in their partnership agreements with Nike and Fanatics, allowing the two companies to mass produce and distribute hundreds of thousands of units of Thomas-themed merchandise over the past four years. Products listed in the filing include authentic 1990s throwback jerseys, replica game-worn apparel, hoodies, hats, bobbleheads, and limited-edition collectibles, with total annual sales from Thomas-branded goods estimated between $5 million and $10 million across the three defendants. Thomas states he has not received a single royalty payment from any of these post-2019 sales, and never gave verbal or written approval for any of the three parties to use his identity for commercial purposes after his original contract lapsed. Nike has served as the official on-field uniform and apparel supplier for all Major League Baseball teams since 2020, while Fanatics holds the exclusive 10-year global licensing rights for all MLB fan merchandise, a deal signed in 2021 valued at more than $3 billion. In a public statement accompanying the lawsuit filing, Thomas noted, "I spent 16 years giving everything I had to the White Sox organization and the Chicago fanbase, and I have always been proud to be associated with the team. For them to profit off my legacy for years without even picking up the phone to negotiate a fair deal is not just a legal violation, it's a betrayal of the bond between players and the franchises they represent." As of press time, representatives for the White Sox, Nike and Fanatics have all declined to comment on the pending litigation. Legal analysts note that Thomas' lawsuit is part of a growing wave of right-of-publicity cases filed by retired professional athletes across major U.S. sports leagues, as former players push to secure fair compensation for the ongoing commercial use of their identities long after their playing careers end. Thomas is seeking unspecified compensatory damages, punitive damages, and a permanent injunction barring all three defendants from producing or selling any merchandise bearing his name, image or likeness without explicit, written prior approval.