Contract and Free Agency Thread: Andrade in Nick Khantanamo Bay
- Thread starter Cattle Mutilation
- Start date
One year non-compete?
WTF is this? Death Row Records?
Lance Storm said it was true, back in 2019, all nonchalantly.
Ni....this why there will never be a wrestler's union. This folk singing Bad Boy deals to be down with the E?
WTF is this? Death Row Records?
Lance Storm said it was true, back in 2019, all nonchalantly.
Ni....this why there will never be a wrestler's union. This folk singing Bad Boy deals to be down with the E?
Norrin Radd
To me, my board!
John Reena
Superstar
Son these wrestlers play Tony like a fiddle. Imagine one of WWE top guys taking time off to climb Mt. Everest or just stop showing up period n still getting big money
Silkk
Can't Change My Damn Avi :beli:
Same problem ROH used to have. Nobody wants to sign long term deals with them….Except Moose
Beautiful Bobby Eatin
SWEEEEEEEEEETNESS!
Yeah but this is likely a gray area. If I had to guess, the 90 day non competes are generally paid which you can reject and the company lets you go completely if they accept (i believe Chelsea Green did this when she was released initially years ago). But this was a "with cause" firing which probably means his non compete isnt paid so it seemed like he wasnt under one even though they are enforcing it. Andrade not understanding this, probably thought he was good and told AEW and Mexico that.
I doubt TKO can enforce a year ban for this but they'll probably win in some other way.
All speculative of course as TKO could have completely restructured how they do releases.
KFBF
Superstar
Year might be because he violated the non-compete.One year non-compete?
WTF is this? Death Row Records?
Lance Storm said it was true, back in 2019, all nonchalantly.
Ni....this why there will never be a wrestler's union. This folk singing Bad Boy deals to be down with the E?
It's ridiculous to fire someone from their contract, force them to sit out 90 days without finding a new job while not paying them on top of it during that duration. Independent contractor, my ass. These idiots need to unionize.
TheAlbionist
Superstar
It was bullshyt when TK was adding time to Fenix for injuries and it's bullshyt here too.
Just let workers work you rich fukks.
Just let workers work you rich fukks.
That's just not going to happen at this point.
It's going to take someone with nothing to lose to test the system for change to happen.
Reality Check
Keepin' it 100
That is correct (at least before WWE was sold). Anyone that was endeavored got a 90-day (or 60-day in the old NXT which we found out from Malakai Black) severance if they were released before their contract was up and it was up to the wrestler whether to take it or leave it on the table to immediately leave. In almost every scenario, everyone took the 90 days because it was guaranteed money whereas there was no guarantee what you could have made on the indies. Now it seems like they are letting contracts expire instead of deavoring, so people are still getting paid, but not being let out before expiration.
Fenix was still cashing checks. Same currently for Britt Baker and Chris Jericho; they are still getting paid even for being on the sidelines because their contract calls for it.
Looking at the language of those contracts, I think it was written this way because of the Lesnar lawsuit in 2004. Here's a breakdown of what happened (KELLER: How WWE in 2005 almost prevented Brock Lesnar from competing in UFC until June 2010) but the TLDR version is Brock signed a 7 year deal with WWE in 2003, quit in 2004, and WWE outright released him but made him sign a noncompete that prevented him from doing ANYTHING worldwide (pro wrestling or MMA) until June 2010. The courts obviously saw through that bullshyt and shot it down. That's why in the screenshot that SRS posted, it restricts Andrade from working in the United States specifically for a year.
The other problem with non-competes in general is while they have been struck down, they are generally still in place if you make above a certain amount of money. However, I think Andrade might have a shot to get it reduced. With it being a TKO contract and them being based in NYC, here is what New York has for Non-Competes:
A non-compete is only allowed and enforceable to the extent it (1) is necessary to protect the employer’s legitimate interests, (2) does not impose an undue hardship on the employee, (3) does not harm the public, and (4) is reasonable in time period and geographic scope. An employer’s legitimate interest may include protecting an employer’s trade secrets and confidential information and preventing employees from taking specialized skills they gained on the job to a competitor. A non-compete’s restrictions must be no greater than necessary to protect the legitimate interests of the employer....
1, 3, and 4 are pretty cut and dry for TKO but 2 is clearly what Andrade's lawyer is going to argue in court because being fired and not being able to work/earn a living anywhere in the country for a year is excessive.
At least Fenix was getting paid not to work. Andrade isn't even getting paid.
Good luck enforcing a one year non compete with no pay.
