WWE sends cease & desist letters to independent promotions

WWE is flexing its legal muscle today, according to a report over at PWInsider which says several independent promotions received cease & desist letters from Vince McMahon’s legal team this morning.

At issue is the use of WWE-owned photographs to advertise appearances by talents with whom the company has parted ways. No specific names are given in the report (for wrestlers or indies), but a possible example would be using a picture of Hornswoggle taken by a WWE photographer being used to sell a match with Dylan “Swoggle” Postl.

Mike Johnson notes in his story that several promoters got the letters at the same time, indicating a coordinated strategy by WWE Legal as opposed to just noticing an ad or two and dealing with infractions on a case-by-case basis.

Regardless of what you think of that strategy, using materials WWE paid to create, featuring performers who signed their likeness rights over to the company while they were contracted to WWE, to promote non-WWE business is a pretty open and shut case.

Expect to see some posters change and Tweets come down over the next few days.