BOSTON -- Barney the Purple Dinosaur is being sued again, this time for a whopping $26 million, for allegedly reneging on a series of concerts.
Compass Entertainment of Taunton, Mass., claims the Dallas-based Lyons Group, Barney's corporate parent, breached a 10-year agreement to have Compass stage a series of Barney concerts around the country.
Compass, which was one of the early distributors of Barney videos and dolls, also claims Lyons backed out of contracts with the company to continue selling the merchandise.
Compass originally sued Lyons in U.S. District Court in Boston for $5 million last winter, but recently upgraded the suit to include the alleged concert damages.
Under Massachusetts law, the award could triple to $78 million since Lyons is charged with unfair and deceptive business practices, Compass said.
Barney, invented by a pair of Texas mothers as wholesome entertainment for their children, now accounts for an estimated $500 million a year in sales of dolls and related items, according to trade publications.
'I wish it had never come to this,' said Compass President Martin Grossmueller. 'We worked as a family until this thing took off.'
The Compass suit is only the latest legal action against Lyons. One industry source said, 'We've heard there are a lot more coming.'
A Dallas children's book illustrator is already suing the company for copyright infringement over a character she claims she originated. And an Indiana housewife has filed suit over rights to the lyrics in Barney's theme song: 'I love you, you love me...'
Lyons recently settled a suit with a New York clothing manufacturer over Barney jackets, pants and overalls.
