TNA Sues WWE
 

TNA FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST WWE FOR CONTRACT INTERFERENCE, UNFAIR COMPETITION AND OTHERS ISSUES STEMMING FROM INSIDER INFORMATION GIVEN TO WWE

TNA FILES LAWSUIT AGAINST WWE FOR CONTRACT INTERFERENCE, UNFAIR COMPETITION AND OTHERS ISSUES STEMMING FROM INSIDER INFORMATION GIVEN TO WWE
By Mike Johnson on 2012-05-24 17:12:00TNA filed a lawsuit yesterday in court in Nashville against WWE and former TNA and WWE office worker Brian Wittenstein for interference with existing contracts, conversion, breach of contract, civil conspiracy, unfair competition, and violation of the Tennessee Uniform Trade Secrets Act. They are also suing Wittenstein for breach of duty of loyalty.
TNA's lawsuit alleges that that Wittenstein, who worked for the company for three years before departing in 2011, provided WWE with inside information on TNA contracts and other matters from his time working in TNA's talent relations and live events departments.

While working for TNA, Wittenstein handled third party bookings for TNA contracts to work independents, scheduling and lots of talent related grunt work. TNA sources at the time of Wittenstein's departure stated he was let go. Wittenstein told PWInsider several months later he had quit.

Wittenstein was hired by WWE earlier this year and worked briefly under Michael Hayes as an assistant before being let go. According to the suit, WWE fired Wittenstein after he presented them with insider TNA information. However, TNA claims that WWE did not approach them with that information until 5/7, several weeks after they let Wittenstein go.

TNA's lawsuit claimed that WWE is now trying to poach contracted talent from TNA, using inside information from TNA contracts to their advantage. Several days later after being contacted by WWE about the Wittenstein issue, Ric Flair (who, as we've reported here, TNA has been having issues with) approached TNA trying to get out of his contract.

TNA is alleging that Flair was trying to get out of his contract in order to go to WWE and that since telling TNA he wanted out of his deal, has not appeared at live events, including the Sacrifice PPV.

In the last week, there have also been rumors that Alex Shelley had turned down a new TNA contract and was looking to go to WWE as well. While those stories have been making the rounds, PWInsider.com has not been able to independently confirm them. Shelley was not specifically mentioned in the lawsuit filing.

An injunction was issued earlier today demanding that WWE and Wittenstein each return whatever confidential material Wittenstein retained from his time working for TNA. They were specifically instructed not to "destroy" any of the material.

I am told a hearing regarding the case is already slated for next month.

We'll have more information as we confirm it.

Are TNA that upset over losing Alex Shelley, Matt Morgan & Ric Flair?

If they wanted their talent to stay in TNA, maybe they should have done more to keep them satisfied, and tried to make growth as a company to increase their salaries and exposure.

Didn't know Morgan left as well...

Now they are get sued again? I bet they gonna have to get the E out now just gonna a be WW

Good for WWE.

A strong legal argument from Mondo Gecko.

Ric Flair cries a lot

http://img.thesun.co.uk/multimedia/a...90_464663a.jpg

http://c553622.r22.cf2.rackcdn.com/w...2/flaircry.jpg

http://i6.photobucket.com/albums/y25...lairCrying.jpg

<iframe width="420" height="315" src="http://www.youtube.com/embed/ZrBZxyqxmtQ#t=3m21s" frameborder="0" allowfullscreen></iframe>

Leave the Memories Alone, you fucker.

It's cute they think they matter

Their time to really take spotlight was the beginning of 2010, or whenever it was that they signed Hogan. It was a whirlwind of shit decisions that didn't allow TNA to truly capitalise on that momentum. It's a shame, because it would have led to a very interesting change in professional wrestling's landscape, had it not been fucked up.

TNA is dead. Hope Aries contract is up soon, they'd clearly sign him now after the success of Punk/Danielson.

The success of Punk and Bryan would have little to do with signing Aries. The fact is -- Aries is good. In the ring, on the mic, as a personality. He can do it all. He may not ever be a "franchise player," but not everybody needs to be. The dude could have a legendary run with the IC Title.

Aries and Magnus are the two guys that TNA should be building up to lead them into the future, in my opinion. No offense to James Storm, but while the guy is over, his work can be very, very good or not quite as good. It's that inconsistency that makes me prefer the potential that is Aries and Magnus, and why I would have Aries be the guy to dethrone Roode down the line.

You really don't know anything about Vince, do you?

Yeah, he likes money, and so far the CM Punk vs. Daniel Bryan feud has made none.

This is desperate!

Holy fucking shit. That's too bad Brian hooked me up with interviews with the Beautiful People when they came down to U-Mass. Not sure why the hell he would try something like this.

I was wondering why I hadn't seen him on facebook in awhile.

With guys like Christian and Cody taking control over that division, do you see a resurgence in the mid-card?

It is much needed and would be an awesome break over the crap we see inbetween the :00 hours of Raw.

TNA is now going to have to spend millions of dollars in this case. Not very smart, considering they're not necessarily doing great. I hope TNA doesn't mention this on Impact. I can picture it now: Dixie Carter standing in the middle of the ring, microphone on hand, talking about why they're suing WWE.

ITT: SlickyTrickyDamon lets everyone know he kinda knows that guy.

The ironic thing is TNA has no chance and will most likely be even more broke after this. They don't even show much concern towards the aesthetics of show/ring set up and they plan on wasting money on this?

Same Ric Flair who appeared at a WWE event the month before these allegations went down? He left mostly on good terms. Could they have been "Poaching Talent" based off of "Insider Information," or was it a matter of Vince taking Ric aside before the Hall of Fame Ceremony and saying "Ric, you know there's always a spot for you here. We'll take care of you"?

Morgan and Shelley probably both understood that their careers were going nowhere and decided to try there hand at the other big act in town.

I say the case is a baseless waste of money unless they can prove, in writing, that a Robert Roode or a James Storm were also contacted...

Also, doesn't this kind of blow a huge hole in the whole "Independent Contractor" thing, though?

I would love to see it. Christian is the perfect choice to be holding the IC Title right now, in my opinion.

I blame Gertner

We all know that it is entirely Gertner's fault, but it is what it is.

yeah the only time they use term independent contractor is when the wrestlers try to get unions.

the wwe does'nt realy need to have spys, i am sure most the young tna wrestlers are tring to get into wwe, so whatever wrestlers wwe wants they can get.

Will be the end of TNA.

So many people have predicted the end of TNA, but they have all been wrong. One recent one, though, was I believe from Road Dogg, who said that the WWE would own TNA's library within the next couple of years. As BG James, he spent a good deal of time with the company, both in front of the camera and behind the scenes.

Wasn't that X-Pac?

This is true, but TNA has never tried to use it's monetary resources to directly combat WWE before. At least not on a more realistic level than, "Hulk Hogan sed go mondaze and we'll be better than you!!"

Honestly knowing how law offices work, they probably mulled over whether or not to tell TNA for that long of a time.

I would hope TNAW has another reason to sue the WWE other than the information the WWE disclosed to them.

Perhaps in dealing with Ric Flair's contract issues, Flair divulged information that was revealing and relevant to the inside information the WWE had. Something to the effect of we know you only have 25 dates on your contract and when this is up come talk to Vince/Triple H.

Or maybe Matt Morgan was contacted by someone in the WWE saying, we know you only have 30 dates with TNA on your contract and you are at 28 dates right now. Hear from you soon.

I hope TNAW has actualy proof of WWE using the insider information otherwise they will be wasting a lot of money on this lawsuit.

TNA won't list six weeks on TV!

I know Matt Morgan has used a lot of his dates, splitting his time between TNA and India.

Morgan said to me that he was heavily considering WWE as an option, that TNA is his home but money talks.

TNA sues WWE


"zomg end ofz TNA"


did i miss something?

Corporate lawsuits are expensive...especially if it is thrown out and you have to pay for WWE's legal fees on top of yours.

This is exactly where I was going with my original post.

FFS James. Stop making sensible posts.