NEW ORLEANS — An Ultimate Fighting producer and distributor are suing operators of a Metairie restaurant, alleging copyright infringement.
Zuffa LLC, doing business as Ultimate Fighting Championship, and Joe Hand Promotions Inc. filed a lawsuit Dec. 5 in U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana against Karen's Hotshots Inc., doing business as J.R.'s Sports Bar & Grill in Metairie, Frances C. Rayner and Deborah Rayner Chatelain, alleging violation of the Copyright Act and the Communications Act.
According to the complaint, on July 11, 2015, Ultimate Fighting Championship and Joe Hand Promotions distributed and telecast via pay-per-view only the Ultimate Fighting Championship® 189 of Mendes against McGregor for which the defendants did not pay.
As a result of the defendants' unlawful conduct, the suit says, the plaintiffs suffered monetary damages. The plaintiffs allege the defendants chose not to contract the plaintiffs and pay a fee to obtain the proper license or authorization for the fight, willfully intercepted and unlawfully transmitted and published the interstate communication of the fight program.
The plaintiffs seek trial by jury, judgment against each defendant for statutory damages of $60,000 under 47 U.S.C. § 553, $110,000.00 under 47 U.S.C. § 605 and $150,000.00 under 17 U.S.C. § 504(c), attorney fees, interest and court costs, plus all other relief the court deems just. They are represented by attorney Dorothy L. Tarver of Taggart Morton LLC in New Orleans.
U.S. District Court for the Eastern District of Louisiana Case number 2:16-cv-16829