Partial Source: PWInsider
Although WWE’s courtroom war with Brock Lesnar has been at the forefront, the number one wrestling company has also been involved in an ongoing legal battle with Tod Gordon.
Gordon claims that WWE has been wrongfully professing ownership of the Eastern Championship Wrestling footage, arguing that its purchase of ECW in bankruptcy court should have only included the rights to Extreme Championship Wrestling. Due to the bankruptcy trustee’s incorrectly giving WWE ownership of Eastern Championship Wrestling, WWE has “made millions” of an ECW library it does not wholly own.
The judge found sufficient cause for Gordon’s case, setting a hearing for 1/26/06.
Calling the move “extortion,” WWE’s response comes in two parts. The company first challenges Gordon’s right to make the claim, citing the fact that he did nothing to air his concerns during the bankruptcy proceedings (also noted is the fact that he did not make ownership claims until ten years after the formation of HHG).
WWE also argues the merits, claiming that there was nothing to suggest Eastern Championship Wrestling was not to be included in the bankruptcy purchase, nor that it was ever treated as separate from Extreme Championship Wrestling.
