Lance Palmer and other Professional Fighters League fighters will be filing a lawsuit against the league according to social media accounts. According to prior posts by some of the league’s fighters, it appears that they are unhappy with the cancelling of the 2020 season.
Myself, as well as other fighters, are moving forward with lawsuits against PFL for the way things have been handled this year. @AliAbdelaziz00
— Lance Palmer (@LancePalmer) October 5, 2020
The PFL announced early on during the shutdown that they would be foregoing the 2020 season and returning in 2021. Since then, the UFC and Bellator have held cards with COVID-19 precautions. Palmer has been vocal about wanting to obtain his release so that he could fight elsewhere
2x PFL tournament winner Lance Palmer (@LancePalmer) says he is asking for his release from the company. Cites multiple reasons, including disagreement on compensation for lost 2020 season and the promotion’s handling of a situation with his father’s IG. https://t.co/eEbsTOckcx
— Brett Okamoto (@bokamotoESPN) July 25, 2020
The PFL offered monthly stipends for its fighters in lieu of a league happening this year.
Payout Perspective:
If the lawsuit occurs, we will likely hear similar arguments from the PFL in defense of not holding a season as DAZN notified Canelo Alvarez. The league believed that it could not sustain a season due to the pandemic and the inability to hold events and have fans in attendance. Bear in mind that the announcement came in April prior to the UFC’s initial event in May. Since then, the PFL has offered multiple ways that its fan base could still connect with fighters including the expansion of its digital content and the hopes of blossoming into more of a wider project overseas. Yet, its fighters still stand on the sidelines while other organizations have been able to go ahead and put on safe (for the most part) events. This seems a little like the Pac-12 Conference calling for the stoppage of its season and then realizing that measures could be put in place to hold events safely. Whether Palmer files a lawsuit and how it will be handled will be one to watch.
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