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World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc.

Don't Force Us To Layeth The Smacketh Down Upon Your Ebay Auction!!!

World Wrestling Entertainment, Inc. (WWE) is a member of the eBay VeRO Program and is the owner of hundreds of trademarks, service marks and copyrights worldwide. As such, WWE alone has the exclusive right to use its copyrighted works and trademarks. WWE values the dedication and interest of its fans, and this page was developed by WWE to help educate eBay users about auctions that infringe on the intellectual property rights of WWE.

There are numerous potentially counterfeit/infringing World Wrestling Entertainment items for sale on eBay, and with this in mind, WWE reviews items for sale on eBay daily. Please note that when we refer to WWE, we mean not only World Wrestling Entertainment, but World Championship Wrestling and/or WCW-related products as well. Additionally we will continue to monitor World Wrestling Federation products as well.

The textual, photographic, video, audio and combined audiovisual programs and products resulting from WWE live events and television programs are protected under U.S. and international copyright laws. Anyone who displays, reproduces, copies, creates derivative works or sells our textual, photographic, video or audiovisual programs for commercial or non-commercial purposes without our permission violates the copyright laws and is liable for copyright infringement.

Likewise, WWE trademarks and service marks are protected under U.S. and international trademark laws. Anyone who uses WWE marks for commercial or non-commercial purposes without our permission on goods or for services in such a way that it dilutes or causes confusion with our marks is liable for trademark infringement.

Additionally, the manufacture, distribution and/or sale of counterfeit WWE goods is illegal and carries criminal penalties.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q: Why was my auction suspended?

A : Your auction was ended because we believe that the item being sold was a counterfeit item or included an infringement of WWE intellectual property. As the premiere provider of wrestling entertainment services, WWE has established substantial and valuable goodwill in its trademarks and has developed licensing agreements with companies that provide quality WWE merchandise. In order for WWE to continue to provide its fans with quality wrestling entertainment and related products, it must vigorously protect its intellectual property interests or risk losing them. WWE regularly monitors the Internet, including auction sites, in order to address the infringement of its rights. As part of this effort, WWE will notify eBay of auctions of unauthorized materials, and eBay will take actions in accordance with its user policies.

Q: Why was my auction singled out when there are so many other seemingly infringing auctions of WWE merchandise on eBay?

A : WWE is working diligently to ensure that all counterfeit/infringing materials are removed from eBay auctions. This is a big job and some items may slip through the cracks. This does not, however, effect the fact that the sale of counterfeit/infringing items is against the law. It may take us some time, but our goal is to remove ALL counterfeit/infringing items from eBay.

Q: Can I auction copies of WWE television programs and Pay-Per-View?

A : No. WWE, as the exclusive copyright holder for these programs, has the exclusive right to distribute these copyrighted works. Please note that WWE generally does not release licensed versions of its Pay-Per-Views for two months after the initial airing of the event. Therefore, any VHS or VCD of a Pay-Per-View that appears for sale on eBay during the two month period after an event is a bootleg and is illegal to sell.

Q: What if I make a ompilationtape of various matches from different programs?

A : Copyright infringement occurs not only when you copy one of our shows in its entirety, but also when you copy any portion of those shows, and that includes single matches, mic time for any of the wrestlers, any music segment from any of the shows, any behind-the-scenes, locker-room segments, etc. This not only pertains to current programming, but old, historical programming as well. Simply put, any and all parts of our programming are protected under copyright law and we will enforce our rights, even if WWE matches or subject matter is only a portion of the whole tape.

Q: Can I auction compilations of entrance theme music that I have on CD or found on the web?

A : No. Again, as with all of our programming, our music and entrance themes are all copyrighted works of WWE. Therefore, making music compilations, from whatever source, is illegal.

Q: If I purchased a legitimate copy of a WWE Pay-Per-View or other videocassette or DVD produced by WWE, can I re-sell that single copy on eBay?

A : Yes. It is legal to sell the single authorized videocassette or DVD that you purchased. Please note, however, that you cannot make copies of VHS tapes or DVD and sell them.

Q: Can I list an item if I expressly say that it is OT GENUINE ANTASY OOTLEGor IRATE

A : No. You are still selling unlicensed, counterfeit merchandise. A disclaimer regarding the authenticity of goods, such as ake nockoff orld Wrestling Federation? orld Wrestling Entertainment?, annot guarantee authenticityand similar disclaimers does not satisfy the laws prohibiting the sale of counterfeit/infringing merchandise.

Q: Can I list WWE collectibles for auction on eBay?

A : Many people use the term ollectiblesto legitimize the sale of property that is stolen or may be fake. One specific example we have come across relates to ALL ACCESS passes. WWE does not give out ALL ACCESS passes to anyone except its own personnel. These are security passes and are and always remain the property of WWE. If ALL ACCESS passes are advertised, they are stolen or fake. Even if you had nothing to do with the theft of these items it is illegal to sell them, and we wouldn want to have to have our arena security personnel smack you down for trying to use it at a show.

Q: What about autographs?

A : Many WWE licensed products include copies of signatures of talent on t-shirts, posters, mugs, etc. The only WWE licensee that produces products which contain authentic autographs is Fleer Trading Cards. Regarding any other items that bear what appears to be an authentic signature of WWE talent, we suggest that you review eBay Community Standards page regarding autographed items.

Q: Can I use WORLD WRESTLING FEDERATION logos, WORLD WRESTLING ENTERTAINMENT logos, WORLD CHAMPIONSHIP WRESTLING/WCW logos or other talent logos and properties owned by WWE to make my auction listing more attractive?

A : No. Use of these logos wrongfully implies that your auction is authorized, sponsored or approved by WWE, and dilutes the value of these logos, in violation of the law.

Q: What if I didn realize that I was violating the law or infringing WWE rights?

A : Innocent intent is not a defense under Federal copyright law. You have a responsibility to ensure that your actions do not violate someone else copyrights. Before auctioning any merchandise, you need to take affirmative steps to ensure the item you are selling is authorized for resale by the copyright or trademark owner.

Many questions regarding what can and cannot be auctioned are addressed in the Community Standards section on eBay, and this is a good starting point for many of your general questions. For specific questions regarding WWE policies that are not answered above, or if you find an auction item that you suspect is unauthorized, please contact ipenforcement@wwecorp.com. If your email requests information that is already contained in this AboutMe page, you will not receive a response. Due to the volume of email received, it may take us a few weeks to respond to your message if it addresses an issue not discussed above.
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