MLW Lawsuit Could Cost WWE Millions If Not Dismissed

One year on from Major League Wrestling's (MLW) lawsuit against WWE, matters seem no closer to settling down. 

In January of last year, MLW filed an anti-trust suit against WWE alleging talent poaching and more specifically, "ongoing attempts to undermine competition in and monopolize the professional wrestling market by interfering with MLW's contracts and business prospects." Now, an update courtesy of PWInsider reports that on January 5, WWE filed a motion with the United States District Court, Northern District of California, San Jose Division "seeking a protective order from the court that would suspend WWE's obligation to search for and produce materials requested by MLW."

In the meantime, things could get quite costly for WWE. PWI notes that WWE is arguing "that until the Court rules on their motion to dismiss the lawsuit, the process of unearthing all of the documents and material MLW has requested could cost WWE millions of dollars." WWE also argues that if the lawsuit were ultimately dismissed, the cost would've been for no reason. While their motion to dismiss is pending, WWE notes that MLW is looking to "impose broad discovery on WWE," citing that MLW has neither "alleged any relevant product market for professional wrestlers" nor have they given an example of any wrestler WWE "supposedly 'poached.'"

Depending on the Court's decision, the likelihood exists that the remaining allegations would land in State Court. If that were to happen, WWE could be required to begin the discovery process all over again, which of course would come at an additional cost.