{"id":5132,"date":"2019-05-28T11:45:44","date_gmt":"2019-05-28T18:45:44","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/ftllp.net\/?p=5132"},"modified":"2024-11-02T15:01:55","modified_gmt":"2024-11-02T22:01:55","slug":"tfue-vs-faze-clan-lawsuit-why-fortnite-player-turner-tenney-is-suing-gamings-biggest-esports-organisation","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/dev.creativespikedigital.com\/lftc\/news\/gaming\/tfue-vs-faze-clan-lawsuit-why-fortnite-player-turner-tenney-is-suing-gamings-biggest-esports-organisation\/","title":{"rendered":"Tfue vs FaZe Clan lawsuit: why Fortnite player Turner Tenney is suing gaming\u2019s biggest esports organisation"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Popular streamer Turner Tenney, who goes by the name Tfue is suing esports<\/a> organisation FaZe Clan in what could be a landmark case for online creators.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenney, 21, who draws in more than 10 million fans a month to watch him play the hugely popular Battle Royale game Fortnite<\/a>, claims that FaZe Clan has taken financial advantage of him through an exploitative contract.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The lawsuit states that FaZe have deprived Tenney of certain business opportunities, failed to pay him his share of brand deal revenue, and grossly undercut his earnings by taking up to 80 per cent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

I genuinely feel so bad for him\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Last year, Tenney was invited to join FaZe Clan, an esports group that is home to and creates teams with some of the biggest names in the esports industry.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Tenney first signed the contract April 2018 when he was 20 years old (the lawsuit also alleges that FaZe encouraged Tenney to gamble and drink underage).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In the complaint, the document was referred to as a \u201cGamer Agreement\u201d, and is said to state that FaZe gets 80 per cent of Tenney\u2019s revenue made through means like sponsored videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Those terms have caused some raised eyebrows in the gaming community, with top streaming stars like Tyler \u201cNinja\u201d Blevins<\/a> calling the 80 per cent figure \u201cinsane\u201d in his own videos.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Ali \u2018Myth\u2019 Kabbani, another streamer, Tweeted:\u201cI genuinely feel so bad for [Tenney].\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

It\u2019s also alleged by Tenney that FaZe is operating in violation of Californian law by essentially operating as a talent agency without a proper license or abiding by the necessary regulation.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u2018There is little to no regulation\u2019<\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The case could be a landmark one, the first of its kind in a fledgling industry that\u2019s still finding its feet.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\n

\u201cBecause the esports industry is so new, there is little to no regulation or oversight. There are no real organisations such as unions guilds to help protect the content creators\/streamers that drive the industry.\u201d<\/p>\nsays attorney Bryan Freedman<\/a> in the complaint.<\/cite><\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Organisations such as FaZe have such a name in the gaming community, that creators and gamers like Tfue are able to sign contracts with them to boost their own profile.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

This then opens them up to more opportunities, similar to the way in which an agent might find work for an actor.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

In exchange for their services, these organisations get a cut of any earnings their clients make.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cIn no uncertain terms, these gamers are artists, entertainers and content creators \u2014 they perform, they act, they direct, they edit and they stream,\u201d wrote Freedman in the complaint.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cMost of these content creator\/streamers are also very young, and are often unsophisticated, unseasoned and trusting.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cAs a result, these young content creator\/streamers are susceptible to being taken advantage of and exploited \u2013 often by those that are supposed to be looking out for their best interests.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

FaZe have rebutted against the claims, saying the organisation has not received even a single dollar from Tenney for prize winnings, Twitch revenue, YouTube revenue, or any other social platform.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

<\/div>\n\n\n\n

FaZe Clan\u2019s response to today\u2019s press article regarding Tfue: pic.twitter.com\/eVdRVMnRpl<\/a><\/p>\u2014 FaZe Clan ? (@FaZeClan) May 20, 2019<\/a><\/blockquote>