NFL suspends Ian Rapoport

[Varking]

8 hours ago, Brooklyn 3.0 said:

All about the almighty dollar.

For those non-nerds who don't watch fake wrestling like I do, a kind-of but not-really thing happened there. The WWE informed all wrestlers that their own, personal Twitch/Cameo/other accounts now belong to the WWE. They can keep the account, if they stay "on brand" ... oh and give the WWE all of the money they are making .... to which they get a piece. In some cases, the talent was even using their own name, not their character name, but the WWE owns most of those too.

This is a reason why I appreciate the AEW approach. Their guys can wrestle elsewhere if they want extra money, can stream and profit off of their name and likeness, etc. As long as it doesn’t interfere with their AEW schedule. 

[Snake]

NFL has always been absurdly aggressive with its rights. NBA players and personalities are way more free than the cotton fields of the NFL. 

[tiger7_88]

13 hours ago, jfra78 said:

He represents the NFL, and they want to control their image

Well...

They're doing a damned horrible job of that.

[1of10Charnatives]

19 hours ago, LinvilleGorge said:

I don't see how this could hold up to legal challenge. 

This.

There’s no way being someone’s employer gives you the right to confiscate their social media accounts for your own use and profit, and I cannot imagine any contracts wrestlers signed agreeing to such wouldn’t be thrown out by any remotely fair minded court. Employment is employment, not ownership of your soul.

[Jacabee]

30 minutes ago, 1of10Charnatives said:

This.

There’s no way being someone’s employer gives you the right to confiscate their social media accounts for your own use and profit, and I cannot imagine any contracts wrestlers signed agreeing to such wouldn’t be thrown out by any remotely fair minded court. Employment is employment, not ownership of your soul.

You’d be surprised. I vaguely recall from law school some copyright cases specifically in wrestling where these lawsuits were grounded in the nature of the character created. Generally copyright is very thin protection (you can differentiate by a mere “creative step” fixed in a tangible medium), but I think there is an outlier case or two protecting the wrestling organization’s rights to the character. Even more vaguely remembered, I think they dealt with Randy Macho Man Savage and triple H but don’t quote me on that lol
 

Now, the original comment to which we’re responding asserted it extended to their private accounts which I agree seems like a huge overreach. I tried to find news on any cases asserting as much but came up with nothing.

[LinvilleGorge]

1 hour ago, Jacabee said:

You’d be surprised. 

Sadly I wouldn't be. Our legal system was long ago hijacked by those with the money to throw at lawyers and politicians.

[SizzleBuzz]

Luis Moreno Jr. was cut loose by the Panthers as a result of posts made on a "private" twitter account.

Rapoport works for the NFL under a contract -- a contract that clearly has some very specifically worded morals clauses in it. 

Some may not agree with the clauses and their wording but obviously whatever is in Rapoport's contract specifically excludes what he did.  Based on his statement he knows this & has accepted the outcome in standup fashion.  

Funny thing is the manscape company is getting a level of exposure they could previously have only dreamed about!  Wonder if they will mail Ian a check?

[Jacabee]

17 minutes ago, LinvilleGorge said:

Sadly I wouldn't be. Our legal system was long ago hijacked by those with the money to throw at lawyers and politicians.

It was always hijacked by those with money. The invisible hand is iron and decides who gets to shake it.