Patrick Reed Refiles Defamation Lawsuit, Includes Golf Channel’s Damon Hack, Shane Bacon and Eamon Lynch

0
Patrick Reed
Patrick Reed of 4 Aces GC and caddie Kessler Karain on the 9th tee during day 2 of the LIV Golf Invitational – Bedminster at Trump National GC on July 30, 2022 in Bedminster, NJ. (Photo by Jonathan Ferrey for LIV Golf via Getty Images)

A day after Patrick Reed dropped his $750 million lawsuit in a Texas court against Golf Channel, the 2018 Masters champion upped the ante and refiled the defamation suit in a Florida federal court.

In the new suit, Reed included Brandel Chamblee, Damon Hack, Eamon Lynch, Shane Bacon, and NBC’s Golf Channel itself, for “conspiracy, defamation, injurious falsehood and tortious interference.”

Chamblee, Hack, Bacon, Lynch, NBC’s Golf Channel, and the PGA and DP World Tour and their Commissioners Jay Monahan and Keith Pelley, are alleged to be co-conspirators in a coordinated effort to destroy the upstart golf league.

The PGA Tour, along with its media partners, are accused of violating antitrust laws and going to extreme and scandalous measures, including the “conspiracy to defame, falsely injure and tortuously interfere” with the careers of Reed and fellow LIV golfers, along with the LIV Golf Series as a whole.

Patrick Reed Wins Masters
Patrick Reed reacts after winning the 2018 Masters Tournament at Augusta National Golf Club. Photo: David Cannon/Getty Images

Reed’s complaint, which was filed before the U.S. District Court for the Middle District of Florida in Jacksonville, Florida, accuses Golf Channel of defamation by falsely labeling him a “cheater, liar, a thief, a murderer and someone who accepts blood money from terrorists.”

Chamblee, a one-time PGA Tour winner, is the point person of the defamation case. He is accused of branding the Ryder Cup icon as the “devil” while placing him in the company of Putin, Mao, Hitler and Stalin, among other published smears.

“The Defendants are using as a false pretext to conspire to defame, falsely injure and tortuously interfere with Mr. Reed is the financing of the LIV Golf Tour by the Saudi Public Investment Fund,” wrote Klayman Law Group in a press statement.

“Also known as PIF which has purchased stakes in a variety of investments, including but not limited to Uber, Boeing, Facebook, CitiBank, Disney, Berkshire Hathaway, Electronic Arts.

“One of its most famed investments and ownership stakes – is in the world renown Newcastle United Football Club.”

Klayman Law added, “Chamblee, NBC’s Golf Channel, and the other defendants sued in the complaint, have a direct interest in continuing to harm Mr. Reed, one of LIV Golf’s top golfers, since the PGA Tour has lucrative contracts with major broadcasting partner NBC’s Golf Channel to broadcast events on the PGA Tour and DP World Tour.

“Existing tournament sponsors and other broadcasting partners would not want to have and continue paying lucrative contracts to the PGA Tour if they have depleted fields, lost marquee players, and are actively involved in anticompetitive practices that violated the antitrust laws.

“Defendants are allegedly fearful that another major network, such as FOX Sports, as widely reported today, will soon broadcast LIV Golf Tour events, competing with them and drawing away viewers and revenues.”

Golf Channel’s Brandel Chamblee (left) and Patrick Reed (Getty Images)

The lawsuit also alleges that the attacks by Chamblee, and others associated with NBC’s Golf Channel, are nothing new to Reed.

NBC’s Golf Channel and defendants’ past statements and published work show a targeted effort to destroy Reed’s name, career, and marketability as a top golfer in the world.

Reed’s lawyer, Larry Klayman, a former U.S. Department of Justice prosecutor, said, “The conspiratorial motivation of the defendants is evident. PGA Tour Commissioner Jay Monahan admitted during an interview with Brandel Chamblee, Rich Lerner and Paul McGinley of NBC’s Golf Channel during a recent September 21st interview at the Presidents’ Cup that the PGA Tour is a “partner” with NBC’s Golf Channel.

“The PGA Tour’s and its “partner” the NBC’s Golf Channel’s mission is to destroy a top LIV Golf Tour player, his family, as well as all of the LIV Golf players, to further their agenda and alleged collaborative efforts to destroy the new LIV Golf Tour.”

Klayman added, “As alleged in the Complaint, these calculated malicious attacks have created hate, aided and abetted a hostile workplace environment, and have caused substantial financial and emotional damage and harm to Mr. Reed and his family.

“While Defendants never-ending defamation and other alleged illegal acts with regard to Mr. Reed, as set forth in the complaint, is nothing new, with his joining of LIV Golf, it has reached new, intolerable heights.

“As a result, enough is enough and it is time for Mr. Reed to protect not only himself and his family, but all LIV Golfers who have been maliciously defamed and harmed with other illegal acts to further the PGA Tour’s and the DP World Tour’s allegedly illegal attempts to maintain their virtual monopoly and stranglehold over professional golf.”

Advertisement

LEAVE A REPLY

Please enter your name here