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TNA Wrestling Files Lawsuit Against WWE & Brian Wittenstein

TNA Wrestling filed a lawsuit in Nashville, TN yesterday against World Wrestling Entertainment and former TNA/WWE office worker Brian Wittenstein for interference with existing contracts, conversion, breach of contract, civil conspiracy, unfair competition, and violation of the Tennessee Uniform Trade Secrets Act. They are also suing Wittenstein for breach of duty loyalty.

The lawsuit alleges that Wittenstein, who had worked for TNA previously, gave WWE inside information on contracts and other matters backstage within TNA, and now WWE is attempting to poach talent from TNA based off that information.

Wittenstein worked briefly under Michael Hayes when he was hired by WWE earlier this year before being let go in April. The lawsuit alleges that during this time period, Wittenstein provided WWE the inside information from TNA. However, WWE did not inform TNA that the informtion was provided for several weeks.

TNA claims that this information was presented on 5/7. Several days later, WWE Hall of Famer Ric Flair approached TNA management about being released from his contract. TNA alleges that Flair wanted out so he could return to WWE.

An injunction was issued earlier today demanding that WWE & Wittenstein return whatever confidential information retained during his TNA tenure. They were both instructed not to destroy the material.

WWE Attorney Responds To TNA Lawsuit, Latest On Lawsuit

The Nashville City Paper covered the TNA lawsuit against WWE.

In their report, WWE attorney Jerry McDevitt commented, “Our reaction is that no good deed ever goes unpunished. What the WWE did here is what you would hope any company would do in these circumstances it found itself in.”

What McDevitt is trying to explain is, following WWE informing TNA that Brian Wittenstein was offering up “insider” TNA information, the company are feeling unfairly blamed.

TNA claims that WWE is now using the knowledge obtained from Wittenstein to their advantage, and is trying to “poach contracted talent” from the company. “This wrongful disclosure and misappropriation allows WWE to effectively price TNA out of the market and cause irreparable harm to TNA’s business and profitability,” the lawsuit reads. “WWE now knows the confidential details of TNA’s business affairs including its marketing and business strategy and analysis, which leaves TNA vulnerable to WWE’s unfair position in the market,” the lawsuit reads.

The lawsuit continues, “In order to injure TNA and gain a competitive advantage, WWE intentionally interfered with TNA’s contractual relationship with Ric Flair and maliciously used the trade secrets and confidential information provided by Wittenstein to approach Ric Flair.”

A restraining order requiring WWE and Wittenstein to return any inside information Wittenstein retained and brought to WWE is a temporary order through the June 11 court hearing, according to the report.