$150 million lawsuit against SWAC is dismissed

Courtesy: SWAC.org

The Southwestern Athletic Convention and its Commissioner Dr. Charles McClelland efficiently obtained the dismissal of all claims asserted towards them by City Edge Community, Inc. (“City Edge” or “UEN”), in a $150 million greenback lawsuit that has been pending since 2023 in regards to the media rights to SWAC’s athletic video games.  In its lawsuit, City Edge contended that it had a proper to broadcast SWAC athletic convention video games on its nationwide streaming platform. That notion was dispelled by an April 21, 2025 Order issued by the Arbitrator presiding over this lawsuit, who held that amongst different issues that, “UEN has no contractual relationship with SWAC and, as such, no proper to market, promote, or promote promoting, broadcasting, or comparable proper[s] for SWAC video games or occasions of its member establishments.” The Order additionally “completely enjoined” City Edge and its founders Hardy Pelt and Todd Brown “from any additional fraudulent makes an attempt to promote SWAC’s promoting and media rights to 3rd events, in any other case use SWAC’s media, or induce SWAC’s member establishments to breach their agreements with SWAC.” It is a important victory for the SWAC, who nonetheless has claims towards City Edge that may proceed to trial. City Edge’s dismissed claims embody the next claims City Edge asserted towards each the SWAC and SWAC’s Commissioner McClelland: tortious interference with contracts, tortious interference with potential contractual and enterprise relations, defamation, and unfair enterprise practices. UEN initiated this lawsuit towards the SWAC, Commissioner McClelland, Webber Advertising and marketing and Consulting LLC, and Derek Webber within the Federal Court docket case captioned City Edge Community Inc., v. Webber Advertising and marketing and Consulting LLC et al, Civil Motion No. 3:22-cv-02021-M within the Northern District of Texas, Dallas Division. Nonetheless, on June 26, 2023, as an alternative of continuous in Federal Court docket, this lawsuit was compelled to decision in a JAMS arbitration. The SWAC is represented by Chisara Ezie-Boncoeur of Barnes and Thornburg LLP, who’s the Co-Chair of the agency’s Business Litigation Follow Group. Commissioner McClelland is represented by Leron E. Rogers of Fox Rothschild LLP, who’s a seasoned sports activities and leisure lawyer. 

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