During the two-week peephole video trial that culminated on Monday with a $55 million verdict for sportscaster Erin Andrews, Marriott International Inc.—dismissed from the case in January—struggled to distance itself from blame.
Part of the challenge for franchisor Marriott International was a defense strategy at trial by the franchisee hotel that argued Andrews’ career flourished after the video incident. Also a challenge was a franchise representative who reportedly watched the video of Andrews, now with Fox Sports, on his cellphone while at a restaurant with friends. Those incidents were a social-media gut-punch to Marriott International during the trial.
