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Tia Mowry Bandwagon
The company behind the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) has a case to answer in court, as a group of fighters have filed a class-action suit against it on allegations of running an illegal monopoly.
Ex-UFC fighters John Fitch and Nate Quarry were joined by current UFC middleweight fighter Cung Le in a lawsuit against UFC owners, Zuffa LLC. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Northern District of California on Tuesday. The plaintiffs accused UFC of violating antitrust laws by placing a limit on earnings of fighters and scaring away rival promotions.
The plaintiffs claimed violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act by the UFC, alleging that fighters are barred from working with rival MMA promoters. The lawsuit stated the mixed martial arts body profits unfairly by forcing fighters to give up claims to the use of their names and likenesses for marketing purposes and in video games.
The UFC fighters, who claimed to represent current and former fighters in similar situations as themselves, are seeking a significant amount of money in damages. The amount requested by the plaintiffs could even be tripled, since this is an antitrust case.
Meanwhile, the UFC has acknowledged the lawsuit, but said it had neither been served nor been able to review the document.
The UFC has done a good job of eliminating rivals through the years. When it comes to competition, it has either purchased its rivals or chased them out of the industry.
Rob Maysey, a Phoenix-based lawyer, told ESPN’s Outside The Lines on Tuesday that he had warned the UFC for several years of the possibility of an antitrust lawsuit in light of how it went about its business.
“I called [the UFC] in 2006 and said, ‘You have a choice.” I said, ‘You guys are going to recognize a fighters’ association or you are going to face an antitrust case,” Maysey said. “At its heart, this lawsuit is about fundamental fairness. The world-class athletes that comprise the UFC are making enormous sacrifices and taking huge risks. It is a basic right that these athletes enjoy the fruits of their labors.”
The new deal agreed between the UFC and Reebok at the beginning of December may also have a role to play in the ongoing imbroglio. The deal has the tendency to cost fighters their sponsors, who are often the athletes’ biggest source of income. Instead, the league gets to pocket most of the revenue, similar to the way things are done in the NCAA.
Heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub, who claimed to make twice the amount he is paid by the UFC from sponsors, said he has lost six sponsors already as a result of the Reebok’s deal with the UFC.
http://www.brothersonsports.com/ufc-fighters-suing-their-league-for-screwing-them-over-money/
Ex-UFC fighters John Fitch and Nate Quarry were joined by current UFC middleweight fighter Cung Le in a lawsuit against UFC owners, Zuffa LLC. The suit was filed in the U.S. District Court in Northern District of California on Tuesday. The plaintiffs accused UFC of violating antitrust laws by placing a limit on earnings of fighters and scaring away rival promotions.
The plaintiffs claimed violations of the Sherman Antitrust Act by the UFC, alleging that fighters are barred from working with rival MMA promoters. The lawsuit stated the mixed martial arts body profits unfairly by forcing fighters to give up claims to the use of their names and likenesses for marketing purposes and in video games.
The UFC fighters, who claimed to represent current and former fighters in similar situations as themselves, are seeking a significant amount of money in damages. The amount requested by the plaintiffs could even be tripled, since this is an antitrust case.
Meanwhile, the UFC has acknowledged the lawsuit, but said it had neither been served nor been able to review the document.
The UFC has done a good job of eliminating rivals through the years. When it comes to competition, it has either purchased its rivals or chased them out of the industry.
Rob Maysey, a Phoenix-based lawyer, told ESPN’s Outside The Lines on Tuesday that he had warned the UFC for several years of the possibility of an antitrust lawsuit in light of how it went about its business.
“I called [the UFC] in 2006 and said, ‘You have a choice.” I said, ‘You guys are going to recognize a fighters’ association or you are going to face an antitrust case,” Maysey said. “At its heart, this lawsuit is about fundamental fairness. The world-class athletes that comprise the UFC are making enormous sacrifices and taking huge risks. It is a basic right that these athletes enjoy the fruits of their labors.”
The new deal agreed between the UFC and Reebok at the beginning of December may also have a role to play in the ongoing imbroglio. The deal has the tendency to cost fighters their sponsors, who are often the athletes’ biggest source of income. Instead, the league gets to pocket most of the revenue, similar to the way things are done in the NCAA.
Heavyweight fighter Brendan Schaub, who claimed to make twice the amount he is paid by the UFC from sponsors, said he has lost six sponsors already as a result of the Reebok’s deal with the UFC.
http://www.brothersonsports.com/ufc-fighters-suing-their-league-for-screwing-them-over-money/
