The Ultimate Fighting Championship is accusing a Nebraska bar of illegally televising a fight without permission from the mixed martial arts promoter.
In a lawsuit filed this week, an attorney for the UFC claims The Edge Bar and Grill in Alda showed a live broadcast of the March 19 event, which featured a fight between Jon Jones and Mauricio Rua.
"It is logical to conclude that (the bar) either used an illegal satellite receiver, misrepresented their business establishment as a residence or removed an authorized receiver from one location to a different business location in order to intercept Plaintiff's broadcast," the complaint filed in U.S. District Court in Lincoln says.
The UFC accuses Larry Davidson of Elwood, named as The Edge's owner in the lawsuit, and his company of illegally receiving the broadcast, showing the event without distribution rights and violating copyright law.
The promoter is seeking as much as $260,000, plus attorney's fees.
$260,000? Basically they're trying to shut this place down for showing UFC events by just legal-feeing them to death.
Zuffa's awesome but a lot of their business practices are just brutal. I guess it IS business, but still to destroy a man's livelihood because he pulls in an extra couple of hundred bucks on UFC nights and doesn't want to pay THOUSANDS for the right to do so?
the guy had people pay him to come to his bar and watch the fights, which he was stealing....while it might not be worth $260,000, he was in the wrong.
$260,000 seems high, but this is what the lawsuit starts at im assuming. They won't probably get that.
They will get some type of settlement, im sure, and they post the numbers this high as a deterrent for those who would try to do the same thing.
IS it vicious business practice? Absolutely. But it is the same reason that every sporting event has that disclaimer, and it is actually a federal offense to profit from showing these events without permission.
So the bar, if they stole the feed, and charged people for it, is totally in the wrong.
Chris Power - $260,000? Basically they're trying to shut this place down for showing UFC events by just legal-feeing them to death.
Zuffa's awesome but a lot of their business practices are just brutal. I guess it IS business, but still to destroy a man's livelihood because he pulls in an extra couple of hundred bucks on UFC nights and doesn't want to pay THOUSANDS for the right to do so?
If that is the law, he doesnt get a pass, just because he doesnt want to pay for the right to legally broadcast it.
Chris Power - $260,000? Basically they're trying to shut this place down for showing UFC events by just legal-feeing them to death.
Zuffa's awesome but a lot of their business practices are just brutal. I guess it IS business, but still to destroy a man's livelihood because he pulls in an extra couple of hundred bucks on UFC nights and doesn't want to pay THOUSANDS for the right to do so?
It's absolute bullshit! I've dealt with ordering ppv's for businesses. For the UFC, you have to pay based on occupancy of the area. In this case, it would be occupancy of the bar. You don't HAVE to order the ppv. But if a business does the right job of promoting the event, they will get a lot of customers coming in, drinking, ordering food, etc.
You are saying that it's alright for a bar owner to steal a feed from the UFC without their consent, make a profit by promoting that event for his establishment, and have no consequences for his actions??
Chris Power - $260,000? Basically they're trying to shut this place down for showing UFC events by just legal-feeing them to death.
Zuffa's awesome but a lot of their business practices are just brutal. I guess it IS business, but still to destroy a man's livelihood because he pulls in an extra couple of hundred bucks on UFC nights and doesn't want to pay THOUSANDS for the right to do so?
It's absolute bullshit! I've dealt with ordering ppv's for businesses. For the UFC, you have to pay based on occupancy of the area. In this case, it would be occupancy of the bar. You don't HAVE to order the ppv. But if a business does the right job of promoting the event, they will get a lot of customers coming in, drinking, ordering food, etc.
You are saying that it's alright for a bar owner to steal a feed from the UFC without their consent, make a profit by promoting that event for his establishment, and have no consequences for his actions??
UFC is 100% in the right here.
Correct, the UFC is in the right. Also, it's not about the money, it's a warning flare to all bars/restaurants to not do this sort of thing, because you will be sued.
fatguynalittlecoat - Wow I can't believe the way this thread is trending. The unemployed losers who will bash the UFC for protecting their investment must still be in bed.
Those are the same guys that criticize the UFC for not paying its fighters enough, and then brag how they never buy a PPV, and download it free (and illegally) on the net.
fatguynalittlecoat - Wow I can't believe the way this thread is trending. The unemployed losers who will bash the UFC for protecting their investment must still be in bed.
Those are the same guys that criticize the UFC for not paying its fighters enough, and then brag how they never buy a PPV, and download it free (and illegally) on the net.
Maybe they should get sued too.
Those are my favorites, those who whine about what the fighters make and then brag about never paying for a PPV.
Chris Power - $260,000? Basically they're trying to shut this place down for showing UFC events by just legal-feeing them to death.
Zuffa's awesome but a lot of their business practices are just brutal. I guess it IS business, but still to destroy a man's livelihood because he pulls in an extra couple of hundred bucks on UFC nights and doesn't want to pay THOUSANDS for the right to do so?
I would bet that a bar showing the UFC makes more than a couple hundred bucks on nights they show the fights. If he doesn't make more than the PPV cost to run in a bar then he has no business showing it. You don't just get to decide what you would like to pay for things.
Chris Power - $260,000? Basically they're trying to shut this place down for showing UFC events by just legal-feeing them to death.
Zuffa's awesome but a lot of their business practices are just brutal. I guess it IS business, but still to destroy a man's livelihood because he pulls in an extra couple of hundred bucks on UFC nights and doesn't want to pay THOUSANDS for the right to do so?
Hot_Buttered_Asshole - Did the bar owner think he was exempt from the legal disclaimer at the beginning of all UFC ppv's? It clearly states the legal ramifications in infringing upon copyright and broadcast laws.
It's no different than stealing any tangible item. Theft is theft. Maybe some people will take heed of his mistake.
Yes, theft is theft but this isn't theft. It's copyright infringement. They are different.
1) The UFC essentially has to charge enough to disincentivize the majority of bar owners from purchasing the PPV, which prompts more viewers to purchase it from home. Essentially, only the bar owners who can afford the heavy price by filling out their establishment with well-paying customers will air the event. The UFC generates more PPV revenues this way.
2) The UFC is not just being assholes by suing this bar owner $260K. The fact that it is a relatively obscure bar in Nebraska even accentuates the signal they are trying to send to the market: If you violate the rules, you will have to pay a hefty price - even if you are some hole in the wall in Podunk, Nebraska. Now that this is public news and many bar owners are aware of it, they will carefully consider the wisdom of circumventing the rules. Again, the UFC generates more PPV revenues by doing this.