Pros Take on WPT

Thursday, 15 March 2007

Plaintiffs Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, Joseph Hachem, Howard Lederer, and Greg Raymer claim WPT and partner casinos have violated federal antitrust law and have filed for a summary judgement.

Plaintiffs Chris Ferguson, Andrew Bloch, Annie Duke, Phil Gordon, Joseph Hachem, Howard Lederer, and Greg Raymer claim WPT and partner casinos have violated federal antitrust law and have filed for a summary judgement.
The basis for this is evidence that poker players are forced to sign non-negotiable 'releases' granting WPTE rights to their valuable names, likenesses, voices and images for zero compensation by strong-arming them with threats of exclusion and boycott. They also indicated that WPT has persuaded casinos to sign up to an agreement stating that they will not sponsor any televised non-WPT events.
If the motion is granted, the ‘releases’ will be lifted, giving players back their intellectual property rights and freeing casinos to sponsor other tournaments.
Jeffrey Kessler, lead counsel for the poker players, stated: 'If the players prevail in this summary judgment motion, WPTE's unlawful agreements will come to a quick end without the need for further discovery or a trial.”
A copy of the public version of Plaintiffs' motion for summary judgment will be available at http://www.wptlawsuit.com/.



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