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Sports Law

Bad Bunny’s Baseball Agency Sues The MLBPA

Rimas Sports v MLBPA

On May 16, 2024, Diamond Sports, LLC, doing business as Rimas Sports, initiated a federal lawsuit against the Major League Baseball Players Association in the U.S. District Court for the District of Puerto Rico. A Verified Complaint and Motion for Temporary Restraining Order (TRO)/Preliminary Injunction were filed. One day later, the Court denied the request for TRO and set a hearing on the request for preliminary injunction for June 18, 2024.

The Complaint begins with the feel of it serving as a press release to boast about the agency co-created by Benito Martinez-Ocasio (a/k/a Bad Bunny) with the stated goal of building a sports agency that caters to the Latin American community and highlights some of the impressive players it has signed in three years of existence, including Francisco Alvarez, Ronny Mauricio, Wilmer Flores, and Eddie Rosario.

Then, at the bottom of Page 2 of the Complaint, Rimas Sports goes to bat against the MLBPA. It says, “[f]rom late April 2022 through February 2024, the MLBPA worked to eliminate Rimas Sports from the sports agency market, intentionally preventing certified agents from working with Rimas Sports in any capacity. Then, on April 10, 2024, the MLBPA issued a Notice of Discipline to Rimas Sports’ agents, William Arroyo (“Mr. Arroyo”), Mr. [Noah] Assad, and Mr. Miranda decertifying Mr. Arroyo, while also preventing Mr. Assad and Mr. [Jonathan] Miranda from even applying to become certified MLBPA agents, and categorically prohibiting all ‘MLBPA Certified Agents from working for or associating themselves with Mr. Arroyo, Mr. Miranda, and Mr. Assad or any entity owned by or affiliated
with Mr. Arroyo, Mr. Miranda, and Mr. Assad including, but not limited to, Rimas Sports, Diamond Sports LLC, and Rimas Entertainment LLC[.]'”

Rimas Sports refers to the above as a “death-penalty sanction.”

It has been previously reported that the MLBPA took punitive action against Rimas Sports and its agents based on alleged improper benefits being provided to players. Jeff Passan and Jorge Castillo of ESPN reported that “[w]ithin one week of Rimas’ official launch in mid-April 2023, the MLBPA received evidence the company had offered players cash and gifts to switch agencies, according to sources.” The punishment included a $400,000 fine. The decision was appealed and an arbitrator appointed by the MLBPA rejected same.

Rimas Sports has sought declaratory relief in the form of a ruling that the MLBPA has exceeded the scope of its statutory authority under the National Labor Relations Act, specifically with respect to the MLBPA seeking to prevent Rimas Entertainment from working with clients who want to enter into deals with brands, which would be outside the scope of negotiating MLB team contracts. The company has also brought claims for tortious interference with contract and tortious injury to its business interests while also seeking injunctive relief.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.