(Adds background on dispute, paragraphs 3-10)
By Lawrence Hurley
WASHINGTON, March 21 (Reuters) - The U.S. Supreme Court on Monday rejected Electronic Arts Inc's bid to revive its free speech defense in a lawsuit filed by former NFL players who accused the videogame maker of using their likenesses in the popular Madden NFL series without permission or proper compensation.
The high court left in place a January 2015 ruling by the San Francisco-based 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals that rejected the company's free speech claims and said the lawsuit could move forward.
The Madden NFL videogame, first launched in 1993 and regularly updated, allows players to simulate National Football League games by controlling the teams.