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On February 16, WWE initiated legal action against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton, seeking to prevent the release of an agreement between WWE and the City of San Antonio.
This agreement, which remains confidential, pertains to the arrangement for WWE’s hosting of the Royal Rumble event at the Alamodome in 2023. WWE contends that the agreement contains proprietary information and trade secrets, thereby warranting exemption from disclosure under Texas’s public information law.
The dispute arose following requests made by Wrestlenomics, an organization focused on wrestling industry analysis, for records related to the Royal Rumble event. While initial requests were granted an exemption from disclosure by the state Attorney General’s office in April 2023, a subsequent revision of this decision on January 17, 2024, prompted WWE’s legal action.
The revision was likely prompted by a second records request made by Intelligence Options, LLC, seeking information regarding WWE’s dealings with San Antonio from 2015 onwards. However, this request has since been rendered moot due to the settlement of a related lawsuit.
WWE’s lawsuit, filed with the 345th Civil District Court in Travis County, aims to secure a judgment and injunction preventing the release of the bidding contract and associated information. The company argues that publicizing such details would undermine its bargaining power in negotiating live events and compromise the value of future bidding processes.
Represented by attorneys from Texas-based law firm Holland & Knight LLP, WWE seeks to protect its interests and preserve the confidentiality of its agreements. The outcome of the lawsuit will determine whether information related to the bidding agreement will be disclosed to Wrestlenomics and potentially Intelligence Options.
While the case bears similarities to a previous instance in 2011 involving the release of event records in New Jersey, the specific circumstances and legal considerations are distinct. Ultimately, the resolution of WWE’s lawsuit will have implications for transparency in public-private agreements and the protection of trade secrets within the wrestling industry.
How do you think the outcome of WWE’s legal action against Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton will impact transparency in public-private agreements, particularly regarding events like the Royal Rumble, and the protection of trade secrets within the wrestling industry? Let us know in the comments below.
February 27, 2024 12:03 pm
