Panini has picked up a key legal win in its fight with WWE, as the embattled trading card company will still produce licensed cards for the pro wrestling property while their broader dispute continues.
The U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York denied a temporary restraining order sought by WWE, which alleged that Panini breached its contract and is seeking to take its trading card rights to rival entity Fanatics.
WWE said that Panini failed to produce licensed products by June 2022, as stipulated in their deal, leading to the alleged breach and termination of the contract last month. The court has not yet fully documented its reasoning for denying WWE’s request. However, temporary restraining orders are often granted on the basis of immediate and irreparable harm, which WWE may have had difficulty showing given the contract issue dates back nearly 15 months.
Fighting For Survival
The WWE contract issue continues while Panini is battling a bigger legal issue with Fanatics, one that will likely make a huge impact on Panini’s long-term survival.
Panini and Fanatics sued each other last month, with Panini firing first with an antitrust suit in Florida, and Fanatics quickly responding with a countermeasure in New York alleging a series of unfair competitive practices.
That matter remains in its preliminary stages, as the final legal venue, among other key initial issues, is yet to be decided.
