Corporate & Securities Law

WPT Enterprises Trial Date Extended to August 5

Just as the April 1 trial date was approaching in the lawsuit by seven elite-level poker players against WPT Enterprises, it has been extended four months to August 5.  The case involves antitrust claims of exclusive dealing and price-fixing as well as the non-antitrust issue of contractual interference with respect to the releases players must sign before competing in a WPT tournament.  I have an article in the March issue of Two Plus Two Internet Magazine targeted towards providing everyday individuals who follow the WPT a basic understanding of the antitrust claims and my opinion on what they’re likely all about.

In the “small world” coincidence department, I happened to play at the same table as WPT CEO Steve “Other Guy” Lipscomb back in December (if the name Berman means anything to you, you’ll understand what “Other Guy” means).  When he mentioned he was the CEO of the WPT, no one believed him.  Personally, I refused to believe him for a solid half-hour until I decided to ask him what was going on with the player lawsuit against the WPT.  When he instantaneously dodged the question, I was pretty confident he wasn’t lying…………Oh, and looking up his name and picture on the Internet when I got home also helped.

Anyway, it will be interesting to see if the antitrust elements are settled or go to trial, or if they were really just thrown in the case as some attempt at leverage for what appears to be the players’ main complaint about the alleged overly broad releases.

Full post as published by Truth on the Market on March 03, 2008 (boomark / email).