[ QUOTE ]
Treble damages are commonly asked for, and rarely given. Its a negotiating chip, not necessarily the ultimate goal. In fact I doubt this case will ever see a courtroom, its generally the kind of negotiation that only takes place because a lawsuit was filed.
[/ QUOTE ]
This case has already seen a court room as the complaint was filed in a federal court. I do not know how often treble damages are awarded, but the fact remains that this is a personal lawsuit against the WPT (not a class-action), and thus only the 7 plaintiffs stand to gain financially.
As you said in an earlier post:
[ QUOTE ]
There are two things that concern me about the case.
(1) the discussion of damages in this case, it seems as if (and I might be wrong) only the litigants would receive financial compensation if WPT/Lakes is found guilty. The goal should be policy change not financial gain
[/ QUOTE ]
Policy change might be a goal in this case, but personal financial gain of the 7 plaintiffs is certainly a goal (as evidenced by the request for treble damages). Again, I have no problem with personal greed, but Greg's claim that he is doing this for the benefit of all poker players is BS. The 7 plaintiffs stand to benefit directly while other poker players may see a tiny, tiny residual benefit.
Plus, it's not like WPTE is Microsoft or something. Look at their stock chart:
http://finance.yahoo.com/q/bc?s=WPTE&t=1y
These guys may not even be around in a year. All I see here is greedy poker players kicking the entity that made them famous while that entity is nearly down and out. This lawsuit is a total joke. Raymer probably makes more on endorsements in a month than the WPTE earns all year.
Plus, if these tourney donkeys would learn how to play cash games, they wouldn't have to worry about the WPT's so-called "monopoly."