Restraining Order Denied: Panini’s WWE Products to Continue
In a recent development that has caught the attention of the wrestling community, a New York court has denied WWE’s restraining order against the trading card company Panini. This decision means that Panini will continue producing WWE products for the foreseeable future, even as both companies’ lawsuits against each other are still pending in court.
The crux of the issue revolves around a contractual disagreement. WWE alleges that Panini did not fulfill a part of their agreement that mandated the creation of digital trading cards or physical trading card games by June 1, 2022. Due to this purported contract breach, WWE terminated their deal with Panini on August 25, 2023. However, Panini continued to produce products, leading WWE to take legal action.
Interestingly, Paul Lesko, a notable figure on Twitter, highlighted that WWE’s timing in terminating the contract appears odd. Despite Panini allegedly breaching the contract on June 2, 2022, WWE waited almost 18 months before initiating a lawsuit. On their end, Panini claims they met the agreement’s physical trading card game aspect through “pack wars” and “box wars” at various conventions. WWE, however, disputes this, arguing that these don’t qualify as physical trading card games. They also contend that images of physical trading cards don’t count as digital trading cards since they aren’t available for sale.
WWE’s demands in the lawsuit are significant. They are seeking an order for Panini to cease producing and distributing anything related to WWE intellectual property. Additionally, WWE wants Panini to either return or destroy all existing inventory and pay over $5,000,000 due to the contract’s termination.
As the legal battle unfolds, the wrestling community will be keenly watching the developments, given its implications on WWE merchandise and collectibles.
