Trinidad & Tobago Players to Sue over World Cup Bonuses

[boss]

This is from Sportcal.com, a password-protected sports business website:

Trinidad & Tobago Players to Sue over World Cup Bonuses

A group of 16 Trinidad & Tobago soccer players who played at last year's World Cup are set to sue their national soccer federation in a battle over bonuses with Jack Warner, the vice-president of the sport's world governing body Fifa.

The players have all been blacklisted by the Trinidad & Tobago Football Federation and effectively banned from representing their country.

Warner had negotiated a deal on behalf of the federation in which the players were to receive 50 per cent of profits from six pre-tournament friendlies, plus 30 per cent of commercial and sponsorship revenues arising directly from qualifying for the World Cup.

The 30 per cent part was later raised to 50 per cent.

On the back of qualification for the World Cup, the federation agreed commercial deals with companies such as sports manufacturer Adidas, fast food chain Kentucky Fried Chicken and online auction site eBay, which were estimated to be worth a total of more than $11.5 million.

The players have no idea exactly how much they are owed, a situation they blame on incomplete accounts provided by the TTFF, but feel they may be due as much as £200,000 each. They have been offered less than £500.

Warner has accused the players of greed and warned that "they will stay outside the pale of organised football" until they drop their legal threats.

However, Michael Townley, the players' lawyer, said: "The players are not pursuing a set figure, they're pursuing transparency of the accounts"

Last year, Fifa's ethics commission ruled that Warner had abused his position by making a £500,000 profit on World Cup tickets sold through his family's travel company, but he held on to his Fifa post

Sportcal.com

[Coop's]

The more i follow and read about this thing is the more loopholes i'm seeing where JW/TTFF going to hit these players so hard they will not know what hit them.

When they say JW negotiated a deal with the players on behalf of the TTFF,what is the deal we talking about,in today's world unless you have something written/recording message to stand on i don't think anything will hold because it's he said,i challenge anyone to show me exactly what the negotiations were.It have people does only read the headlines and not the small writing which is where all the complications are,some people only hear what they does want to hear.

I can't understand how players have no idea exactly how much they are owed but want to Sue the TTFF over WC Bonuses,what/how much are they suing for?the only people that have an idea of how much sponsors,money etc etc was made from this WC would be JW/TTFF,they can give any fictitious figures and we have to accept that.What i find funny is that they should not have accepted the $400.00 given to them in the first place,that's what opened the door for JW to talk about creed.

This is just my view.

[Mr Mc]

The more i follow and read about this thing is the more loopholes i'm seeing where JW/TTFF going to hit these players so hard they will not know what hit them.

When they say JW negotiated a deal with the players on behalf of the TTFF,what is the deal we talking about,in today's world unless you have something written/recording message to stand on i don't think anything will hold because it's he said,i challenge anyone to show me exactly what the negotiations were.It have people does only read the headlines and not the small writing which is where all the complications are,some people only hear what they does want to hear.

I can't understand how players have no idea exactly how much they are owed but want to Sue the TTFF over WC Bonuses,what/how much are they suing for?the only people that have an idea of how much sponsors,money etc etc was made from this WC would be JW/TTFF,they can give any fictitious figures and we have to accept that.What i find funny is that they should not have accepted the $400.00 given to them in the first place,that's what opened the door for JW to talk about creed.

This is just my view.

How they supposed to sue for a specific amount when they were never told what the total intake of revenue was.
they are not suing for a specific amount.
they want to see the books, and if the books legitimately show that 400 is all they owen then fine.
doubt that would ever happen.
so they have 30% in writing and the increase to 50% verbal, still doh matter cause no way 30% of all that money come up to 400
besides Jack is not denying that they were owed 50%, he just claims that their share only equals 400 a man, anybody who think that is even possible...I have an 89 Camry for sale cheap!!!

[WestCoast]

Coop's,
what about the fact that Jack says that all expenses have been deducted from the sponsorship money and what is left is what the players share.
Now, surely you know that FIFA covered those very expenses that Jack is now saying that the players have to pay for.
So in other words he is receiving double payment for those expenses.

[Bakes]

The more i follow and read about this thing is the more loopholes i'm seeing where JW/TTFF going to hit these players so hard they will not know what hit them.

When they say JW negotiated a deal with the players on behalf of the TTFF,what is the deal we talking about,in today's world unless you have something written/recording message to stand on i don't think anything will hold because it's he said,i challenge anyone to show me exactly what the negotiations were.It have people does only read the headlines and not the small writing which is where all the complications are,some people only hear what they does want to hear.

I can't understand how players have no idea exactly how much they are owed but want to Sue the TTFF over WC Bonuses,what/how much are they suing for?the only people that have an idea of how much sponsors,money etc etc was made from this WC would be JW/TTFF,they can give any fictitious figures and we have to accept that.What i find funny is that they should not have accepted the $400.00 given to them in the first place,that's what opened the door for JW to talk about creed.

This is just my view.

Incorrect.

I understand that this is just your view as you say, but your view is inaccurate.  There is such a thing as a legally binding oral

contract


...as for "how players have no idea exactly how much they are owed but want to Sue".  Very often in litigations damages aren't set up front but determined at trial.  The players aren't suing for money per se, but suing for a breach of contract.  The TTFF hasn't provided the sum taken in from sponsorship, which would be the basis for any award to the players (in other words, this is what they'd base their claim on).  So they are likely going to sue to force the TTFF to open their books for independent audit.  Once that process has taken place and they know the figure of the sponsorship haul...THEN they can either be awarded an amount...or use the figures as a basis for pursuing separated litigation for compensation.

It's simple, really.

[Coop's]

Thanks for the correction,i just don't have a clue about the litigating part of these things but i'm learning.

[SOBRIQUET]

i've been saying this over and over on this site...the players have a WRITTEN contract with Warner.  These fellas dealt with Jack before and had lawyers spell out a deal on paper before the world cup.  They can't come up with specific figures because Mr. Warner never made figures public. 

[Bakes]

Thanks for the correction,i just don't have a clue about the litigating part of these things but i'm learning.

No scenes on that...it's a little confusing to think of an 'oral contract' being enforceable...but it is recognized in almost every jurisdiction.   

i've been saying this over and over on this site...the players have a WRITTEN contract with Warner.  These fellas dealt with Jack before and had lawyers spell out a deal on paper before the world cup.  They can't come up with specific figures because Mr. Warner never made figures public. 

The written contract...is that with the disputed 50% figure, or is that with the 30%?  Because seems to me the 50% adjusted contract was done verbally and on the fly by Jack.

[weary1969]

Even if we goin with the 30 % it eh have now ay that 5000 TT a man could be right except in JW brain.

[weary1969]

In addition all dey have to do is get a copy of the tape from Gayelle and see where d tie toungue tief say he promise 50%. The man just eh care to go on national tv and say that shows how he feel that he bigger than everybody

[spideybuff]

In addition all dey have to do is get a copy of the tape from Gayelle and see where d tie toungue tief say he promise 50%. The man just eh care to go on national tv and say that shows how he feel that he bigger than everybody

Esepcially after he went on tv and say ''no man, especially no WHITE man, can come in my country and tell me what to do'' referring to Andrew Jennings. They shoulda make him resign for racism.

[Bakes]

In addition all dey have to do is get a copy of the tape from Gayelle and see where d tie toungue tief say he promise 50%. The man just eh care to go on national tv and say that shows how he feel that he bigger than everybody

Yeah, that will definitely help make the case that there was indeed a contract and the stipulated amounts.

[daryn]

In addition all dey have to do is get a copy of the tape from Gayelle and see where d tie toungue tief say he promise 50%. The man just eh care to go on national tv and say that shows how he feel that he bigger than everybody

Yeah, that will definitely help make the case that there was indeed a contract and the stipulated amounts.

the fact that the infamous spreadsheet actually calculates what 50% of the alleged profits would be should be sufficient evidence that the 50% was agreed to.

[Pointman]

They'll need a good lawyer and massive public support. All the best FPATT!!!

[WestCoast]

the fact that the infamous spreadsheet actually calculates what 50% of the alleged profits would be should be sufficient evidence that the 50% was agreed to.

good one there

[Bakes]

the fact that the infamous spreadsheet actually calculates what 50% of the alleged profits would be should be sufficient evidence that the 50% was agreed to.

True talk...

It will be difficult for the TTFF to prove that the "50%" wasn't agreed upon.  Their only tact might be to disavow Jack's comments as not being representative of the TTFF...but that's likely to fail since they themselves have proclaimed him their "benefactor".

[weary1969]

Where they file in TNT?