Black Widow
06-16-2009, 05:35 PM
COMPLETE DETAILS ON THE DEEP SOUTH WRESTLING LAWSUIT FILED AGAINST WWE OVER THE END OF DSW'S DEVELOPMENTAL DEAL
PWInsider.com has acquired the lawsuit filed against World Wrestling Entertainment last April by Joe Hamilton (who wrestled as the Assassin) and his company, Deep South Wrestling in the State of Georgia, claiming that WWE had breached their contract with DSW.
Hamilton's version of events is that he and DSW were fully compliant with their contractual agreements with World Wrestling Entertainment, which saw Hamilton paid a salary of $80,000 and Deep South Wrestling paid $80,000 to provide developmental training for WWE talents and a to provide a TV outlet, which the lawsuit claims was provided and aired in the Southeastern United States and Canada, for those talents as part of a "talent exchange program" between WWE and DSW.
While Hamilton and DSW may have been compliant by the letter of the law, there were numerous allegations of bullying by trainers of WWE developmental talents, to the point that DSW were required to begin filming the training sessions by WWE. There were numerous injuries during training and overall there morale among talents in DSW was far lower than similar talents assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling at the time. I believe there was also an issue with DSW signing a cable TV deal with MavTV as WWE does not want their developmental product seen on a wide scale basis. Over time, there were a number of factors weighing in against DSW and there were rumors of WWE pulling up stakes for many months before it actually happened.
In the suit, Hamilton noted that he had set up a series of live DSW events to be performed at the Six Flags park in Georgia and had set up additional events that would have benefited The American Cancer Society and M.A.A.D.A. for the summer of 2007. In the case of the Six Flags events, Hamilton had arranged for WWE to send talents for each of those live shows.
Hamilton claims that WWE planned to sever their relationship with DSW, yet acted as if nothing was wrong by arranging talent for the Six Flags event. Then, several days before the first event was to take place, WWE officials (Mike Bucci and John Laurinaitis, although they are not named) arrived on 4/18/07 to inform Hamilton that they were severing the WWE's agreement with DSW. The first Six Flags date was set for 4/22/07.
Hamilton alleges that the DSW deal required WWE to provide DSW and himself with 90 days notice that the deal was ending, which did not happen. He also claims WWE "arranged through an intentional and calculated method" to time their officials' arrival at DSW's place of business without providing notice to Hamilton or DSW. Hamilton alleged WWE "made every effort" to prevent him from knowing they were coming to the premises as their "plans were to remove all personal and computer information" without anyone from DSW being present.
Hamilton's lawsuit alleged that when WWE severed their ties on 4/18 they arrived at the DSW premises and "removed wrestling rings, seating, computer hardware, software, and information belonging to DSW." The suit noted that "shared personnel" were informed they were being transferred (to OVW and later FCW) and should have "no further dealing" with Hamilton and DSW.
Hamilton's suit noted that WWE's decision prevented DSW from performing on the scheduled events that summer, causing DSW damages in the amount of $320,000 and Hamilton personal damages of $56,000. Hamilton also claims that he suffered from emotional distress due to the situation and that WWE's "intentional actions were intended to cause Hamilton severe emotional distress." The lawsuit claims that WWE intended to cause DSW damages by the way events were handled.
The lawsuit requests that Hamilton personally and DSW, as a company recover all damages arising from WWE's breach of contract and that that Hamilton recover damages arising from "Defendants willful and intentional infliction of emotional distress" as well as any punitive damages ruled by a jury.
PWI
PWInsider.com has acquired the lawsuit filed against World Wrestling Entertainment last April by Joe Hamilton (who wrestled as the Assassin) and his company, Deep South Wrestling in the State of Georgia, claiming that WWE had breached their contract with DSW.
Hamilton's version of events is that he and DSW were fully compliant with their contractual agreements with World Wrestling Entertainment, which saw Hamilton paid a salary of $80,000 and Deep South Wrestling paid $80,000 to provide developmental training for WWE talents and a to provide a TV outlet, which the lawsuit claims was provided and aired in the Southeastern United States and Canada, for those talents as part of a "talent exchange program" between WWE and DSW.
While Hamilton and DSW may have been compliant by the letter of the law, there were numerous allegations of bullying by trainers of WWE developmental talents, to the point that DSW were required to begin filming the training sessions by WWE. There were numerous injuries during training and overall there morale among talents in DSW was far lower than similar talents assigned to Ohio Valley Wrestling at the time. I believe there was also an issue with DSW signing a cable TV deal with MavTV as WWE does not want their developmental product seen on a wide scale basis. Over time, there were a number of factors weighing in against DSW and there were rumors of WWE pulling up stakes for many months before it actually happened.
In the suit, Hamilton noted that he had set up a series of live DSW events to be performed at the Six Flags park in Georgia and had set up additional events that would have benefited The American Cancer Society and M.A.A.D.A. for the summer of 2007. In the case of the Six Flags events, Hamilton had arranged for WWE to send talents for each of those live shows.
Hamilton claims that WWE planned to sever their relationship with DSW, yet acted as if nothing was wrong by arranging talent for the Six Flags event. Then, several days before the first event was to take place, WWE officials (Mike Bucci and John Laurinaitis, although they are not named) arrived on 4/18/07 to inform Hamilton that they were severing the WWE's agreement with DSW. The first Six Flags date was set for 4/22/07.
Hamilton alleges that the DSW deal required WWE to provide DSW and himself with 90 days notice that the deal was ending, which did not happen. He also claims WWE "arranged through an intentional and calculated method" to time their officials' arrival at DSW's place of business without providing notice to Hamilton or DSW. Hamilton alleged WWE "made every effort" to prevent him from knowing they were coming to the premises as their "plans were to remove all personal and computer information" without anyone from DSW being present.
Hamilton's lawsuit alleged that when WWE severed their ties on 4/18 they arrived at the DSW premises and "removed wrestling rings, seating, computer hardware, software, and information belonging to DSW." The suit noted that "shared personnel" were informed they were being transferred (to OVW and later FCW) and should have "no further dealing" with Hamilton and DSW.
Hamilton's suit noted that WWE's decision prevented DSW from performing on the scheduled events that summer, causing DSW damages in the amount of $320,000 and Hamilton personal damages of $56,000. Hamilton also claims that he suffered from emotional distress due to the situation and that WWE's "intentional actions were intended to cause Hamilton severe emotional distress." The lawsuit claims that WWE intended to cause DSW damages by the way events were handled.
The lawsuit requests that Hamilton personally and DSW, as a company recover all damages arising from WWE's breach of contract and that that Hamilton recover damages arising from "Defendants willful and intentional infliction of emotional distress" as well as any punitive damages ruled by a jury.
PWI