2 Valley businesses acccused of showing Pavlik fight illegally

YOUNGSTOWN — A sports production company has filed civil actions in U.S. District Court against two Mahoning Valley businesses, accused of unauthorized showings of the Kelly Pavlik-Bernard Hopkins fight last October.

J&J Sports Productions Inc. of Campbell, Calif., represented by Atty. Julie Cohen Lonstein, says it was the broadcast licensee of the fight. It names as defendants John Halman Jr. of 2929 South Ave., doing business as East Side Civics Club; and Matthew C. Giannini of 2907 Ridley Ave., of Bistro GQ.

The actions are on file in the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of Ohio, Eastern Division, Youngstown.

J&J Sports Productions says in its complaints that it had the right to distribute the Oct. 18, 2008, Pavlik-Hopkins program, including all undercard bouts, via closed-circuit television and encrypted satellite signal.

The program was subsequently retransmitted to cable systems and satellite companies via satellite signal.

Only those customers with contracts with J&J Sports Productions had the right to show the fight in their establishments, in which Hopkins beat the world middleweight champion in a nontitle bout.

But the California company says the defendants “unlawfully intercepted, received and/or descrambled” the satellite signal, showing the program at the two locations.

There are several methods for intercepting the satellite signal, and the method used has not been determined, the complaints state. It’s “logical to conclude” that the defendants either used an illegal satellite receiver, misrepresented their business establishment as a residence, or engaged in “mirroring” by taking a legitimate receiver from a home to the business.

This action, the complaints allege, violates the federal Communications Act, which prohibits unauthorized reception and use of communications.

From each defendant, the complaints seek up to $170,000 plus attorney fees and court costs.

In April, J&J Sports Productions filed similar suits against Callahan’s Irish Pub in Warren, Dash Inn in Youngstown and Chippers Sports Bar and Grill in Austintown. Each bar is being sued for $170,000.