In an unfortunate lapse of response, two bar owners in Texas found themselves forfeiting $21,800 following a default judgement last Friday. At the heart of the matter was an allegation against the bar for improperly hosting a broadcast of the 2019 boxing match between Saul ‘Canelo’ Alvarez and Sergey Kovalev. As they failed to answer the charges, the event’s license holder celebrated a victory by default.
Despite repeated notifications, the bar owners did not present their defense regarding the unauthorized showing of the match, leading to the default judgement in favor of the event’s license holder. This failure to respond essentially served as an affirmative admission of their alleged wrongful act, resulting in a significant financial setback for the bar.
It remains unclear whether this fine will deter similar instances of copyright infringement in the future. However, this instance serves as a robust reminder to businesses of the importance of adequate legal representation and the potentially harsh consequences of disregarding legal notices.
Further details of the case can be found at Law360.