Author Archives: Kevin Maher

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Mayweather-Pacquiao Promoters Get Jabbed

Jab, Cross, Hook

The sport of boxing has not had much of an impact on pop culture or news headlines in the past 20 years, and the latest event may have put the sport down for the count. The heavily-promoted match between Floyd Mayweather and Manny Pacquiao has come under serious criticism for how uneventful and expensive it was, and now people are calling their lawyers. Multiple class-action lawsuits have been filed against all parties involved, especially the promoters of the fight itself. The pay-per-view main event charged $99 per household, with Mayweather winning in unexciting fashion; however it was revealed after the match that Pacquiao had a pretty serious shoulder injury. Plaintiff’s claim that they were duped into paying for the fight regardless of the promoters’ knowledge of the injury, choosing to “go on with the show” due to the massive amounts of money each company pulled in from advertising.

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Rock Bottom: Wrestlers File Concussion Lawsuit

Two words for ya: I’m suing.

A handful of professional wrestlers have teamed up to take down their competition; except this time, the battle is in the courtroom and not the squared circle. We all know professional wrestling is scripted, but the injuries and physicality involved is very real. Ryan Sakoda, Luther Reigns, and Big Russ McCullough have filed a lawsuit against World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE), seeking damages related to injuries sustained in the ring, harsh working conditions and lack of physical care. The wrestlers are claiming that WWE management, under the orders of CEO Vince McMahon, forced wrestlers to put themselves in unsafe environments, partake in dangerous activities, and perform through injuries. Claims go as far to say that some wrestlers were punished, removed from TV/storylines, or publicly embarrassed for attempting to prioritize their own health.

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D’oh! Simpsons Settle with Hologram Company

Mmm, lawsuits.

The Simpsons are going to court! Well, they were planning on it, until reaching a settlement. 20th Century Fox recently came to an out-of-court settlement with a special effects company over a 2-minute hologram of the popular cartoon character, Homer Simpson. Appearing at Comic-Con, an entertainment-themed convention in California, Homer’s hologram told several jokes and interacted with Simpsons’ creator Matt Groening, much to the amusement of everyone other than Hologram USA. The company claims that they have an exclusive patent to the technology behind the hologram, and that without their consent or approval, Fox owes them a monetary fee. The groups were able to meet and come to an agreement, although the terms were not immediately disclosed. Read more

Former Hockey Star Sues Referee on the Fly

A frosty relationship

Professional athletes and referees have never gotten along too well, but an NHL legend is bringing this disagreement with an official to the next level. Former Philadelphia Flyer Eric Lindros is suing referee Paul Stewart for defamation of character after the ref’s comments in an article for the Huffington Post. Early in the 1990’s, Stewart and Lindros had a disagreement during a game, which played into the controversial incident. Stewart claims that after the game, he approached the 19-year-old Lindros and asked him to sign some posters for a charity event. The referee claims Lindros ripped the posters in half, and proceeded to verbally assault him. The Flyer Captain has come out and defended himself, balking at the idea that he is unnecessarily hostile and not charitable. Lindros is seeking $250,000 from both Stewart and the Huffington Post for running the story. Read more

Up in Smoke: NY Sues UPS Over Cigarette Tax

When there’s smoke, there’s fire.

The latest courtroom battle about cigarettes has nothing to do with damaged lungs, but rather a hole in the wallet. It recently came to light that shipping giant UPS failed to properly adhere to tax laws in New York City and State. This has resulted in 78,500 shipments of untaxed cigarettes being transported in and out of New York for about 4 years. UPS has denied these allegations, citing their past experience in the shipping industry and adherence to any and all state laws. The lawsuit was filed in New York by Attorney General Eric Schneiderman and Counsel Zachary Carter and is seeking about $180M in damages. Outright accusations of lying and cheating have been thrown out by both sides, understandable considering the hefty price tag attached. Read more