Here’s a Hand When You Get a Letter From Joe (Hand) Promotions

Ah, the dreaded letter from Joe Hand Promotions—a rite of passage for many bar and restaurant owners who just wanted to spice up the night with a little UFC action. Fear not, you’re not the first to face this, and with a bit of strategy, wit, and preparation, we can handle this. This is not the time to reach out to their lawyers and apologize; this is the time to get your own representation so that we can assess all options. We offer a low flat rate (one-time predictable fee) to handle your matter. Here’s what you can expect and how we’ll fight back.

1. Who Are These People? 

• Joe Hand?: Joe Hand Promotions has years of experience going after restaurants, bars, and all other commercial establishments for broadcasting boxing or UFC fights without the proper commercial licenses. Allegations span illegal interception of a cable or satellite signal to unlawful display of a fight all the way to copyright infringement. 

• What Happens Now: That letter is likely a demand for damages, citing laws like 47 U.S.C. § 553 or § 605, which govern unauthorized cable and satellite transmissions. Joe Hand is claiming you streamed a fight without the required commercial license.

2. Review the Demand Letter

• What We’ll Do: I’ll carefully review the letter to understand the allegations and determine whether they have evidence against you. Is it a demand for $25,000? A threat of litigation? Or just a strongly worded letter designed to scare you into paying?

3. Investigate the Claims

• What You’ll Do: Tell me your side of the story.

  • Did you actually stream the fight?

  • Was it intentional, or did someone in your staff click the wrong button?

  • How many people watched it? Did you advertise the fight?

• What I’ll Do: I’ll compare their allegations to the facts:

  • Do they have an investigator who visited your venue and recorded what happened?

  • Is there photographic or video evidence of the fight being broadcast at your bar?

  • If they’re claiming an investigator showed up to your bar, we’ll find out if they were a diligent detective or just someone who had one too many beers while watching the fight.

4. Respond Strategically

• What Happens: Once we understand the facts, we’ll craft a response. This might include:

  • Denying liability if they lack sufficient evidence.

  • Offering a settlement if liability seems clear but damages are overstated.

• Example: If Joe Hand is asking for $20,000, but only fifteen people were watching the fight on a 12-inch TV in the corner, we’ll argue for a much smaller amount.

5. Prepare for Litigation (If Necessary)

• What Happens: If settlement negotiations don’t pan out, Joe Hand may file a lawsuit. This will involve:

  • Discovery: They’ll produce evidence of the alleged streaming. We’ll request proof of their claims, including investigator reports and video evidence.

  • Motions: We can file a motion to dismiss or challenge the sufficiency of their evidence.

6. Explore Settlement Options

• What Happens: Most cases resolve before trial.

  • We’ll evaluate their settlement offer and counter with a more reasonable figure based on actual damages.

• Example: If they’re asking for $15,000, but you only generated $500 in bar sales that night, we’ll highlight the absurdity of their demand.

7. Trial (Rare, but Possible)

• What Happens: If the case goes to trial, both sides present their evidence, and a judge or jury decides.

• Example: We’ll argue that the statutory damages they seek are excessive and that there’s no evidence of willful intent to pirate.

Potential Outcomes

1. Settlement: The most likely result.

   • Example: You pay a fraction of the demand—say $5,000 instead of $20,000—and move on.

2. Dismissal: If their case is weak, we could get the lawsuit dismissed early.

   • Example: If they lack evidence or the investigator’s report is flawed, the judge might toss the case.

3. Judgment: If it goes to trial and you lose, damages could include enhanced damages resulting in six figure judgments. 

Final Thoughts

Joe Hand Promotions is in the business of enforcing licenses, but that doesn’t mean you should roll over and send over their demand. With a solid defense, we can navigate this process and minimize the financial impact. Fill out the contact form below and we will be in touch right away.