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World Wrestling Entertainment today filed a motion to dismiss the lawsuit filed by MLW Media LLC on behalf of Major League Wrestling against them before the United States District Court, Northern District of California this past January.
The 19-page lawsuit filed by MLW alleges intentional interference with contractual relations, intentional interference with prospective economic relations, a violation of the Sherman Antitrust act and more.
WWE’s filing states:
First, WWE moves pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) to dismiss MLW’s federal antitrust claim because MLW failed to plausibly plead (1) a facially sustainable relevant market, (2) monopoly power or anticompetitive conduct, or (3) antitrust injury. WWE further moves to dismiss MLW’s remaining state law claims pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(1) because the Court lacks subject matter jurisdiction over them if the federal antitrust claim is dismissed.
Second, WWE moves pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(6) to dismiss all state law claims should this Court exercises jurisdiction over them.
MLW’s claim for intentional interference with contractual relations is unsupported by factual allegations, and what allegations MLW pleads are entirely implausible. MLW’s claim for intentional interference with prospective economic advantage fails because MLW does not allege that WWE knew about MLW’s negotiations to sell a third party first-run programming, nor does MLW plausibly allege that WWE’s alleged single communication with the third party influenced its decision not to purchase MLW’s content.
Finally, MLW’s unfair competition claim fails because (1) it is not tethered to some other viable antitrust or tort claim, and (2) MLW lacks Article III and statutory standing to assert such a claim.
Finally, WWE moves pursuant to Federal Rule of Civil Procedure 12(b)(5) to dismiss MLW’s complaint for lack of personal jurisdiction because neither party is a resident of California, no harm specific to California is alleged, and none of the alleged misconduct took place in California.
In short, WWE's argument is that MLW has nothing tangible to prove their claims and that the Court in San Jose doesn't have jurisdiction to hear the claims.
The court ordered a hearing for 9/29 to hear arguments on WWE’s motion to dismiss.
PWInsider.com will have more on WWE's response to the lawsuit shortly.
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