The composers of the University of Michigan’s “Let’s Go Blue” fight song have filed counterclaims against publishers in a copyright dispute involving its use in the College Football video game series. Albert Ahronheim and Joe Carl say they regained rights to the song years ago.
Albert Ahronheim and Joe Carl, who wrote the song as students in the 1970s, filed the countersuit on June 11. They claim they exercised termination rights in 2013 and now control the publishing. The composers allege that Theodore Presser and Carl Fischer licensed the song to Electronic Arts in 2024 for about $1,000 without authority.
The publishers had sued the composers earlier this year. They argue that the 2013 termination notice was invalid because it was not filed with the U.S. Copyright Office. Both sides now seek a court declaration of ownership and financial damages.
The case centers on copyright termination rights, a provision that allows authors to reclaim works decades after assignment. Similar disputes involving other artists are ongoing in federal courts.
