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Friday, April 25, 2008

North American Boxing Council Sues Mark Cuban's HDNet For Theft

Courtesy of the North American Boxing Council:

Eight count suit alleges HDNet's unifying mixed martial arts organization, "HDNet Fights" is the work product of the NABC.

Indianapolis, IN (April 25, 2008) -- "HDNet Fights", the unifying mixed martial arts organization televised on Mark Cuban's HDNet cable channel, should cease operations immediately because it was born out of a breach of trust, misappropriation of trade secrets, and other harmful actions on the part of HDNet, the North
American Boxing Council (NABC) said in a lawsuit filed March 17th in the Marion Superior Court in Indianapolis, Indiana.

The eight count suit seeks to restore the rights of the NABC to its proprietary business and marketing model for a unifying mixed martial arts organization, and to recover damages for the ongoing illegal torts committed by HDNet.

The complaint states the NABC's confidential proposal for a unifying mixed martial arts organization was made to HDNet in January 2007. In response to the proposal, HDNet taped two NABC mixed martial arts TV events in Indianapolis in May 2007. HDNet began broadcasting the NABC mixed martial arts events in June 2007 and
subsequently placed the events in regular rotation on the HDNet schedule. In August 2007, HDNet advised the NABC it had rejected the NABC's proposal. However, that same month, HDNet secretly incorporated its own mixed martial arts organization, "HDNet Fights Inc." HDNet proceeded to introduce "HDNet Fights" to the public
beginning with press statements in September 2007 as a unique unifying mixed martial arts organization falsely representing it as the original product of HDNet.

The suit seeks to recover damages as determined by a jury trial.

Peter French of Lewis & Kappes, an Indianapolis law firm, serves as counsel for the NABC. The lawsuit can be seen at http://nabc.net/complaint.pdf

Contact:
Lewis & Kappes
Peter S. French
(317) 639-1210
http://lewis-kappes.com

About the NABC: The North American Boxing Council is a professional Boxing and Mixed Martial Arts sanctioning body with its United States office in Indianapolis, Indiana.

NABC boxing championship bouts have been televised on HBO Boxing, ESPN and FOX Sports. Boxers who have fought for the NABC belt include Evander Holyfield, Félix Trinidad, Larry Donald, Ricardo Mayorga, Stevie Johnston, Joshua Clottey, Ian Gardner, and Damian Fuller. Promoters who have held NABC contests include Don King, Gary Shaw, Fred Berns, and Lou Duva.

NABC mixed martial arts championship matches have been televised on cable and pay per view.