Trial Date Set in the Lawsuit Between TNA and Scott Steiner

A trial date has been set for the lawsuit TNA filed against former TNA, WCW, and WWE superstar Scott Steiner in 2012. TNA filed the defamation lawsuit against Steiner he verbally abused Hulk Hogan, Eric Bischoff, Bruce Prichard, and others via his official Twitter account last year. A jury trial has been set for March 31st, 2014 in Nashville, TN. The two parties will have a pre-trial meeting on March 14th.

PWinsider.com claims that in the lawsuit filed in Chancery Court for Davidson County, TNA noted that Steiner had signed a contract with the company on December 23rd, 2010 to appear exclusively for the promotion. A copy of that contract, including Steiner’s payroll for his appearances ($2000 for events, $2500 for PPV, plus royalties to be paid 90 days later) was filed in court, including:

*An agreement that Steiner would not “make any statements or provide information, written, verbal or otherwise, which directly or indirectly disparages or casts in a negative light any TNA officers, employees, representatives, affiliates, shareholders, licensees and/or past or current TNA talent.”

*An agreement that Steiner would not use online social media or media appearances to discuss TNA without TNA’s prior written consent in each instance.

TNA has claimed that Steiner violated the terms of that contract and is currently in breach for his online rants against the company. In their lawsuit, The company claimed that they contacted him on 5/10/12 asking him to cease the behavior but “Steiner ignored TNA’s demands and has continued to breach the Agreement.” TNA also petitioned the court in the lawsuit, asking that they be allowed to recover their damages as well as court and attorney’s fees. They are claiming the breach has caused the company “irreparable harm, which cannot be adequately measured by monetary relief.”

Steiner’s responded to the lawsuit by telling the court that his TNA deal expired and while he was offered a new contract, he opted to turn it down and never re-signed with the company. Steiner has previously demanded the TNA suit against him be thrown out of court, which has not happened. He will however receive the style of trial he requested if the case made it this far, a jury trial.