Cung Le, et al. v. Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship and UFC [updated]

Discussion in 'MMA - Mixed Martial Arts' started by speeds, Dec 15, 2014.

  1. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    The class action lawsuit being brought against the UFC (Zuffa) will be filed tomorrow, per reports. Details are scant but the gist of it is that several former and current UFC fighters have contacted a few major firms familiar with antitrust suits to handle the case.

    According to BloodyElbow, the suit "will be based on accusations that the UFC has violated antitrust laws by abusing their "market power" to intentionally and systematically cripple the free market... the plaintiffs will be seeking damages for potentially hundreds of millions of dollars due to reduced fight purses, video game rights fees, and other sources of income. The final amount could even be greater, with statutes awarding "treble damages" in antitrust cases."

    I don't expect the named plaintiffs to be UFC luminaries. They are the ones least affected by the UFC's practices. It's more likely we'll see people like Din Thomas and Mac Danzig--retired fighters who have no safety net and never earned like the top 5% in the UFC. The "video games rights fees" strongly hints at Jon Fitch's involvement as he (and Cain Velasquez) were temporary fired from the UFC after refusing to sign over their lifetime likeness rights a few years ago. They eventually acquiesced.
     
  2. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: The bomb drops tomorrow

    Sean Sherk wants in. Guess that means he isn't a part of the suit.

    [​IMG]
     
  3. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: The bomb drops tomorrow

    I'm not sure how they can win the suit given that the fighters sign the contracts not under duress--unless they prove they weren't paid what they were owed or were cleverly misled.
     
  4. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: The bomb drops tomorrow

    Early word is that there will be three fighters involved with the potential for more in the future. Not everyone involved may be named today. A press conference is scheduled for 1pm PT. Hopefully it isn't like Tito's press conference for Cyborg. The greatest lawsuit of the night!
     
  5. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: The bomb drops tomorrow; update: Cung Le, other fighters representing

    The first three fighters are Cung Le (named in the suit), Jon Fitch, and Nate Quarry.

    Carlos Newton is involved somehow as well.
     
  6. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: The bomb drops tomorrow

    They are citing the Sherman Antitrust Act
     
  7. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: The bomb drops tomorrow

    The suit is being filed in San Jose
     
  8. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, Nate Quarry, and Jon Fitch are the ones suing the UFC [update]

    [tweet]544960780295086081[/tweet]

    [tweet]544960904157081600[/tweet]
     
  9. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and Carlos Newton are suing the UFC [update]

    [tweet]544961728119709697[/tweet]

    [tweet]544961885854904320[/tweet]
     
  10. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and Carlos Newton are suing the UFC [update]

    http://www.cohenmilstein.com/news.php?NewsID=742

     
  11. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and Carlos Newton are suing the UFC [update]

    Robert Maysey is a longtime supporter of a Fighters' Association.
     
  12. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, et al. v. Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship and UFC [upda

    Law firms representing the fighters are heavy antitrust hitters: Cohen Milstein, Berger & Montague, and the Joseph Saveri Law Firm.
     
  13. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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  14. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and Carlos Newton are suing the UFC [update]

    This picture is being used against them.

    [​IMG]
     
  15. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and Carlos Newton are suing the UFC [update]

    "This is not about starting a union," say the fighters to Dave Meltzer.
     
  16. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, Nate Quarry, Jon Fitch, and Carlos Newton are suing the UFC [update]

    Newton isn't part of the suit but was the driving force behind getting it going.
     
  17. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, et al. v. Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship and UFC [upda

    The lawyers are talking about the suit lasting 3-5 years.

    Le & Co. claim they have the support of many current UFC fighters who want to remain anonymous due to fear of reprisal from the company.
     
  18. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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  19. speeds

    speeds $2.50 highball, $1.50 beer Staff Member Administrator GFX Team

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    Re: Cung Le, et al. v. Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship and UFC [upda

    Helwig from the UG made a succinct point (I think):

     
  20. oldmangrouch

    oldmangrouch persona non grata

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    Re: Cung Le, et al. v. Zuffa, LLC, d/b/a Ultimate Fighting Championship and UFC [upda

    You can't blame UFC for the problems suffered by other promotions. Are they responsible for Strikeforce screwing up a TV deal? Are they to blame for the #1 promotion (Pride) imploding?

    As for the exclusive contracts, that is too common a practice in sports to build a case on.

    Some of the other issues may have legs.
     

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