WWE Issues Statement On The Bootleggers Lawsuit

UPDATE: WWE has issued the following statement about the decision:

“It is customary practice for all touring shows to ask for a temporary restraining order to prevent their fans from being sold counterfeit, inferior goods. Merchandise sales are important to the promoter, as well as to the arena or the stadium in which they play. Sales of legitimate merchandise generate revenue for the promoter, the arena and to the local municipality. This is the first time that WWE has experienced a negative decision for a temporary restraining order by a federal judge. Caveat emptor!”

ORIGINAL: According to The Hollywood Reporter, WWE filed a lawsuit against “various anonymous defendants” that they asserted were bootlegging unauthorized merchandise at WrestleMania. The company was hoping to be able to seize goods of people selling their trademarked items, which they have been able to do in the past

They will not be allowed to do so this year as U.S. District Judge Helen Berrigan issued a ruling that denied WWE’s attempt to control the sale of its merchandise within a five-mile radius of The SuperDome, which is the location of WrestleMania 30. The judge stated the following

“The problem with Plaintiff’s request is apparent once one recalls that the order it requests is not directed against a single named, identified, or even described person—all the defendants are John Does, and Plaintiff provides no particular information about the identity of any of them. At best, Plaintiff defines Defendants almost tautologically: Defendants are anyone who would be a proper defendant within broad geographic and temporal limits.”

The full story is available here.

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