Joe Hand Wins $60,000 Damages vs. Texas Bar That Pirated 2019 UFA Match

U.S. District Judge Robert Pitman for Western Texas in Austin signed a final default judgment Wednesday (docket 1:22-cv-01083) awarding content distributor Joe Hand Promotions $60,000 in damages against San Marcos, Texas, bar and restaurant One Time Tavern and its owners. Joe Hand sued the tavern Oct. 25, alleging it pirated for commercial gain the November 2019 telecast of the Ultimate Fighting Championship mixed martial arts match between Jorge Masvidal and Nate Diaz. Pitman also awarded Joe Hand $2,550 in attorneys’ fees, $839 in court costs and post-judgment interest at an annual rate of 4.75%, said the judgment. The judge denied Joe Hand’s request for damages of up to $100,000 for the tavern’s willful violation of Section 605 of the Communications Act.