A post this morning on PWInsider reported an Impact Wrestling source told them trademarks on ownership of the “Broken” Universe - currently being disputed between parent company Anthem Entertainment and The Hardys - were filed in January 2017. This despite legal documents being dated April, which Insider speculates could be a government filing date and not indicative of when the former TNA submitted the paperwork.
Matt, Jeff and the rest of “House Hardy” left Impact when their deals expired at the end of February, and this legal battle has remained in the headlines since. Matt’s wife Reby has stated on numerous occassions she filed to legally document their ownership of characters like “Broken Matt” and “Brother Nero” and catchphrases like “Broken Brilliance”, including when Impact added trademark symbols to those words on YouTube in mid-March. This morning, she disputed Insider’s story, and again stated her belief Jeff Jarrett is the “Impact source”:
If that were true, they would've gone through the patent office long before mine did. Don't buy bullshit reports from "source" Jeff Jarrett https://t.co/nz8kwxmdvr
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 9, 2017
How desperate & pathetic do you have to be to be sending fake reports to dirtsheets tho ? @RealJeffJarrett
— Reby Hardy (@RebyHardy) May 9, 2017
Matt Tweeted in support of her, and claimed Impact is “working” the dates to their benefit:
The days of "working" figures & statistics (aka lying) in this industry are OVAH.. Especially government documented records. https://t.co/CHCi0QTAEo
— The VESSEL of MMH (@MATTHARDYBRAND) May 9, 2017
Insider’s story also claims Anthem and Impact officials are upset they’re losing the public relations battle with the Hardys, and that coverage has been tilted in Matt & Jeff’s favor. I’m not sure this exchange is going to change that, especially in the eyes of fans who see Jarrett and Impact president Ed Nordholm as denying them of an act they want to see.
Interestingly, Mike Johnson at Insider also writes that not only is their no settlement agreement in place, but reminds us no lawsuit has been filed in the case... which could mean there’s no end in sight to this public battle.
So, enjoy the Tweets, because social media may be the only place we see “Broken Matt” for the foreseeable future.
There are, however, conflicting rumors which say WWE has worked out a deal with Anthem which would allow the Boyz to use the gimmick. None that I’ve seen specify a date, but those at least provide a reason to be optimistic.
Stay tuned.