{"id":29318,"date":"2016-08-16T11:45:01","date_gmt":"2016-08-16T16:45:01","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/?p=29318"},"modified":"2016-08-16T14:12:42","modified_gmt":"2016-08-16T19:12:42","slug":"wwe-facing-new-lawsuit-buff-bagwell-seeking-network-royalty-payments-timeline-events-led-suit-bagwells-recent-royalty-check","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2016\/08\/16\/wwe-facing-new-lawsuit-buff-bagwell-seeking-network-royalty-payments-timeline-events-led-suit-bagwells-recent-royalty-check\/","title":{"rendered":"WWE facing new lawsuit from Buff Bagwell seeking Network royalty payments &#8211; Timeline of events that led to suit, Bagwell&#8217;s most-recent royalty check, more"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"pwtor-4036187761\" class=\"pwtor-before-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><hr \/><b>SPOTLIGHTED PODCAST ALERT (YOUR ARTICLE BEGINS A FEW INCHES DOWN)... <\/b>\r\n\r\n<iframe src=\"https:\/\/widget.spreaker.com\/player?show_id=3076978&theme=light&playlist=false&playlist-continuous=false&autoplay=false&live-autoplay=false&chapters-image=true&episode_image_position=right&hide-logo=false&hide-likes=false&hide-comments=false&hide-sharing=false&hide-download=true\" width=\"100%\" height=\"140px\" frameborder=\"0\"><\/iframe>\r\n<hr \/><\/div><p>WWE will soon be racking up more legal fees after being sued by former WWE\/WCW star Buff Bagwell in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut.<\/p>\n<p>Bagwell has brought on a new royalties lawsuit against WWE, seeking $5.0 million in damages for himself and other wrestlers &#8220;similarly situated&#8221; who have not been paid for WWE Network airings of their likeness.<\/p>\n<p>WWE was served with the lawsuit on Wednesday, August 10, the suit was assigned to Judge Janet C. Hall as a Breach of Contract suit, and WWE was given 21 days from Aug. 10 to respond to the suit.<\/p>\n<p>Other pertinent dates include amended pleadings due October 8, WWE&#8217;s motion to dismiss due by November 8, a Discovery deadline of February 8, 2017 (if the case advances to this stage), and dispositive motions due by March 10, 2017.<\/p>\n<p>A similar suit was brought on by former WWE star Rene Dupree in April, but the suit was dismissed because Dupree signed a new booking agreement that WWE argued canceled his rights to royalty payments.<\/p>\n<p>However, Dupree&#8217;s\u00a0lawsuit did produce information about a clause in past WWE booking contracts about former wrestlers having royalty payment rights to &#8220;other technology and\/or technology not yet created,&#8221; which Bagwell is seizing as the basis for his\u00a0suit.<\/p>\n<p>Bagwell&#8217;s attorneys also detailed Bagwell&#8217;s interaction with WWE attempting to\u00a0get financial information on the Network to determine if he&#8217;s owed royalties, which was shot down, prompting the lawsuit.<\/p>\n<p>Included was an exhibit detailing Bagwell&#8217;s royalty payment check and break down dated March 24, 2016.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-2339944343\" class=\"pwtor-content pwtor-entity-placement\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x250\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>Bagwell was paid $64.40, which included previously unpaid royalties. The sources were various video releases featuring Bagwell&#8217;s WCW career, book sales, and nostalgia products.<\/p>\n<p>WWE earned $31,172.72 from the itemized list of products and Bagwell\u00a0received\u00a0$64.40. The list did not include WWE Network items.<\/p>\n<p>Bagwell contacted a certified public accountant, who contacted WWE officials to examine WWE&#8217;s books regarding the Network. The lawsuit details a\u00a0timeline of events:<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; June 23: Bagwell&#8217;s CPA contacted WWE to schedule a time to examine WWE&#8217;s books related to Network royalty payments.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; End of July: The CPA was told the beginning of August would be a good time.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; August 5: K&amp;L Gates &#8211; the law firm with Jerry McDevitt that represents WWE &#8211; sent a letter shot down the review. The letter &#8220;accused Plaintiff&#8217;s accountant of having &#8216;asserted a pretextual and invalid audit request to attempt to stealthily obtain that information.'&#8221; The letter continued that\u00a0&#8220;because your client (Bagwell) is not paid any such royalties (WWE Network), there is nothing to audit.'&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Bagwell&#8217;s attorney argued that Bagwell has the right to audit WWE&#8217;s records &#8220;for purposes of verifying the accuracy of royalty payments and WWE denied his request,&#8221; which they argue is a violation of Bagwell&#8217;s booking contract dated June 4, 2001.<\/p>\n<p>&#8211; August 9: Bagwell filed the lawsuit against WWE seeking damages for himself and other wrestlers he argues are owed royalty payments from WWE Network.<\/p><div id=\"pwtor-943202200\" class=\"pwtor-content-1 pwtor-entity-placement\"><!-- Tag ID: pwtorchcom_test_300x600 -->\r\n<div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280 __300x600\" id=\"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_test_300x600\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div><\/div>\n<p>In the lawsuit, five causes of actions were listed.<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Count 1: Breach of Contract &#8211; Failure to Pay Royalties<\/li>\n<li>Count 2: Breach of Fiduciary Duty<\/li>\n<li>Count 3: Unjust Enrichment\/Restitution<\/li>\n<li>Count 4: Violation of Connecticut Unfair Trade Practices Act<\/li>\n<li>Count 5: Breach of Contract &#8211; Failure to Pay Royalties Within 90 Days of End of Quarter<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The lawsuit closed with Bagwell&#8217;s request for a jury trial seeking relief and judgement against WWE for alleged wrongdoing.<\/p>\n<p>Included is a request to restrain WWE from placing PPVs and non-PPVs on WWE Network &#8220;until WWE pays Plaintiffs&#8217;s and the Class&#8217;s and Subclass&#8217;s royalty payments.&#8221;<\/p>\n<p>Bagwell is being represented by Stamford, Conn.-based law form Tooher &amp; Wocl &amp; Leydon LLC, Chicago-based Krislov &amp; Associates.<\/p>\n<p>The lawsuit was picked up by various Connecticut news outlets, including the Connecticut Law Tribune and <a href=\"http:\/\/www.ctpost.com\/local\/article\/Buff-Bagwell-suing-WWE-over-royalty-fees-9145028.php\" target=\"_blank\">Connecticut Post<\/a>.<\/p>\n<div class=\"pwtor-end-article-groups pwtor-entity-placement\" id=\"pwtor-411271604\"><div id=\"pwtor-2671804149\"><div align=\"center\" data-freestar-ad=\"__336x280\" id=\"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\">\r\n  <script data-cfasync=\"false\" type=\"text\/javascript\">\r\n    freestar.config.enabled_slots.push({ placementName: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\", slotId: \"pwtorchcom_medrec_3\" });\r\n  <\/script>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\r\nTHANK YOU FOR VISITING<\/div><\/div>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<div class=\"mh-excerpt\"><p>WWE will soon be racking up more legal fees after being sued by former WWE\/WCW star Buff Bagwell in the U.S. District Court of Connecticut. Bagwell has brought on a new royalties lawsuit against WWE, <a class=\"mh-excerpt-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/2016\/08\/16\/wwe-facing-new-lawsuit-buff-bagwell-seeking-network-royalty-payments-timeline-events-led-suit-bagwells-recent-royalty-check\/\" title=\"WWE facing new lawsuit from Buff Bagwell seeking Network royalty payments &#8211; Timeline of events that led to suit, Bagwell&#8217;s most-recent royalty check, more\">[&#8230;]<\/a><\/p>\n<\/div>","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":1239,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"episode_type":"","audio_file":"","podmotor_file_id":"","podmotor_episode_id":"","cover_image":"","cover_image_id":"","duration":"","filesize":"","filesize_raw":"","date_recorded":"","explicit":"","block":"","itunes_episode_number":"","itunes_title":"","itunes_season_number":"","itunes_episode_type":"","_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[1043,71,251],"class_list":["post-29318","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-news_wwe","tag-buff-bagwell","tag-wwe","tag-wwe-network"],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-content\/uploads\/2015\/10\/WWELogo_3x2.jpg","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29318","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=29318"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29318\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29319,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/29318\/revisions\/29319"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/1239"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=29318"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=29318"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.pwtorch.com\/site\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=29318"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}