CM Punk reacts to WWE trying to stop legend from selling shirts, true story of the Royal Rumble

The Hart Foundation – Left to right: British Bulldog, Owen Hart, Bret Hart and Jim Neidhart

- WWE is notorious for inking exclusive merchandise deals with former WWE legends and it ends up in a lot of unwanted conflicts. ProWrestlingTees.com are the latest to get embroiled in a legal tussle with the WWE after they were blocked in selling newly made T-shirts on the official store made for Jim Neidhart.

PWT was quick to update a statement on their website that prompted comments from the websites affiliates CM Punk and Colt Cabana. Below is the statement and the twitter posts from Punk and Cabana:

We received a notice from WWE saying that we were violating intellectual property rights by selling Jim Neidhart shirts on our website. First off, we don’t sell anything on our site, the wrestlers do. Our website is a portal for independent and retired pro wrestlers to sell their own merchandise to hundreds and thousands of fans worldwide. We then simply print for them and ship them to their customers. Everything is contracted through the wrestlers, they get a final say in the designs they sell and the price they sell the shirts for.

After doing more research, we found that WWE didn’t own the trademark on the name Jim Neidhart nor Hart Foundation. After explaining this to their “lawyer”, we were then told that Jim has an “exclusive merchandise agreement” with WWE. Really? Then where is all the Jim the Anvil merchandise? We’ve never seen a Jim “The Anvil” t-shirt ever. Maybe one of him andBret Hart together but never solo.

WWE continuously blocks retired pro wrestlers from selling merchandise on the internet. These wrestlers have fans that want to show their appreciation for them but they aren’t allow to because WWE says they have the “merchandise rights” to them. If WWE has these rights then use them.

Wrestlers profit sometimes over 10x more what they get in royalties through any merchandise deal with WWE. There is no reason they shouldn’t allow Jim to have extra money is his pocket. There is no competition here because they aren’t selling Anvil’s t-shirts. Being under a WWE legends contract is understandable, but why is Jim in an “exclusive merchandise contract” with no merchandise? If they aren’t going to allow him to sell his own merchandise through our website portal then at least sell shirts for him through the WWE shop.

Bullies! https://t.co/El4Rzc8LGQ

— Colt Cabana (@ColtCabana) September 29, 2015

Allegedly! https://t.co/Lzi0cDCzfL

— Coach (@CMPunk) September 29, 2015

- Royal Rumble is one of the biggest PPV’s of the year and is one of the big four due to its implications on WrestleMania. The WWE is reportedly coming out with a two-disc DVD that would focus on the Royal Rumble over the years. It would feature the most shocking and noteworthy moments and also the man behind the idea of the Rumble.

‘The True Story Of The Royal Rumble’ will be a documentary style feature film with matches and Rumble content from over the years right from its initial days. Below is the synopsis the WWE issued:

A behind the scenes look at the event that sets the stage for WWE’s biggest stage atWrestleMania. Hear from the winners and losers, and the creator of the most intense match in WWE.