NEW HAVEN, Connecticut – Former West Virginia University quarterback Oliver Luck has sued XFL and WWE leader Vince McMahon in federal court, claiming he was wrongfully fired as CEO and commissioner of the XFL.
In the complaint filed April 16 in federal court in Connecticut, Luck says McMahon breached his contract with McMahon’s Alpha Entertainment and seeks a declaratory judgment.
Luck, who is the father of former NFL quarterback Andrew Luck, played college ball in Morgantown before playing five seasons in the NFL for the Houston Oilers. He also has served as an NCAA executive, WVU’s Athletic Director and president and general manager of the Houston Dynamo MLS club.
McMahon
Luck agreed to be the commissioner and CEO for the new professional football league known as the XFL in 2018. He signed an employment contract with Alpha, of which McMahon is the controlling owner. The XFL was in its first season when the Coronavirus pandemic caused McMahon to suspend operations.
The employment contract included a confidentiality and non-compete clause, which has left the civil complaint heavily redacted and sealed. But it says he claims wrongful termination via a letter dated April 9, 2020. That is two days before the XFL filed for bankruptcy.
“Mr. Luck wholly disputes and rejects the allegations set forth in the (sealed) termination letter and contends they are pretextual and devoid of merit,” the complaint states. “Alpha wrongfully terminated and repudiated the employment contract without cause.”
McMahon issued a response to the lawsuit.
“Oliver Luck's services as Commissioner and CEO of The XFL were terminated by a letter sent to him on Apr. 9, 2020, which explained the reasons for the termination," McMahon said through an attorney. "As to the lawsuit he filed, his allegations will be disputed and the position of Mr. McMahon will be set forth in our response to his lawsuit."
Luck seeks actual damages that aren’t revealed in the complaint, as well as attorney fees, court costs, expenses, pre- and post-judgment interest as well as the declaratory judgment.
Luck is represented by Paul J. Dobrowski and Vanessa L. Pierce of Dobrowski Larkin & Stafford LLP of Houston as well as Andrew M. Zeitlin and Joette Katz of Shipman & Goodwin LLP of Stamford, Connecticut.
U.S. District Court for the District of Connecticut case number 3:20-cv-00516
