Appeals Court Sides with Bonneville in Grant Napear Firing Case

A federal appeals court has upheld the dismissal of Grant Napear’s wrongful termination lawsuit against Bonneville International Corp., ruling that the broadcaster acted within its rights when it dismissed the longtime Sacramento Kings radio host in 2020.

Napear, who served as the Kings’ television play-by-play voice from 1988 until his departure, was terminated from Bonneville-owned KHTK after responding to a tweet from former Kings center DeMarcus Cousins with the phrase “All Lives Matter” during the nationwide protests following George Floyd’s death. The exchange, which came shortly after Cousins asked Napear for his views on the Black Lives Matter movement, drew widespread criticism, including pointed comments from former Kings players Chris Webber and Matt Barnes.

Napear was first placed on administrative leave by KHTK and then let go. Days later, he stepped down from his Kings broadcast role, ending a tenure that had spanned more than three decades.

He subsequently sued Bonneville for wrongful termination, arguing that he was penalized for off-duty political expression that had no bearing on his job performance. After a lower court dismissed the case, Napear took his claim to the Ninth US Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco.

On Thursday, the appeals court rejected that argument. In its ruling, the panel held that Bonneville was entitled to protect its corporate reputation, citing Napear’s profile as a public figure and the terms of his employment contract, which obligated him to uphold “a high standard of care and level of responsibility.” According to the source report, Napear may now consider petitioning the Supreme Court to hear the case.

The dispute comes at a time when media companies across the sports landscape continue to grapple with the intersection of on-air talent’s personal social media activity and corporate brand risk — a balancing act faced by broadcasters and networks alike, from regional outlets to national players such as Fox Corporation, whose shares closed at $67.75 previously and traded recently around $65.42, down 3.44% on the day.

The Ninth Circuit’s decision reinforces the latitude employers in media may have to discipline talent whose public statements conflict with organizational standards, even when the speech occurs outside of work and on personal accounts. Should Napear pursue Supreme Court review, the case could draw attention to unresolved questions about the free-speech protections of private-sector media employees.

What to watch

• Whether Napear files a petition for certiorari with the US Supreme Court.
• Any statements from Bonneville or the Kings organization following the ruling.
• Broader employment-policy updates at sports media companies regarding talent social media conduct.

Source: original release