According to a report by WrestlingInc this week, Impact Wrestling president Ed Nordholm appeared on the LAW podcast to discuss Anthem acquiring Impact this past fall.
The drama would continue, as Nordholm was asked about the rights to the “Broken” gimmick and explained that it was undoubtedly their property.
“I think it’s unquestionable that the ownership of the characters in the storyline resides in Impact Wrestling. I don’t think even the Hardyz would dispute that. They’ve all signed contracts. Their contracts are standard contracts. Not only in the wrestling industry, but in the entertainment industry, generally, the producer of the show owns the content and it doesn’t really matter who in the creative team came up with the idea of what the character should be. The person that owns the storyline and the character is the person who invested to take that idea and put it on TV. That’s what we did. Impact put those characters on TV, and the contracts with those people are indisputably contracts that provide their IP to Impact.”
Impact Wrestling Creative Consultant to the Head of Creative Dutch Mantel would take to Twitter to thank Nordholm for his comments on the situation:
NEWS: Thanks @EdNordholm for clearing it up on @LAWradio. @IMPACTWRESTLING owns BrokenBrilliance IP 100%. No dispute.@RealJeffJarrett
— ??. ????? (@DirtyDMantell) May 22, 2017
In response to this, following several heated exchanges between The Hardy Boyz and Dutch Mantel, Reby Sky would add her own thoughts:
Guys. Giving an "interview" to YOUR OWN NETWORK while lying through your teeth is now considered "NEWS:" ??? https://t.co/TCP81KysBW
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
No dispute ? Watch ?#TextsWithMyLawyer pic.twitter.com/ouJQy3txVo
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
Now I'm just annoyed. Which is worse than pissed, trust me. Time to squash the bug.
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 22, 2017
This would ultimately lead to Matt Hardy himself sending out a tweet in relation to his father-in-law Señor Benjamin being used on Impact Wrestling programming:
Was in the TNA's top story & NEVER PAID A PENNY, even tho promised.
He NEVAH signed a release to use/air his footage-That isn't legal. #DTO https://t.co/d9CfdSD1ib
— MATT HARDY (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 23, 2017
Editor’s Note:
This situation has been developing for so long that it has reached a point of no return, seemingly. I have been keeping myself up to date with the story, as it is so intriguing to know the situation behind this whole fiasco.
What do you think about The Hardy Boyz and Impact Wrestling feuding with them over Twitter? Sound off in the comments or over on our Twitter or Facebook pages.
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