In Boston, Todd Wallack reports the state of Rhode Island is investigating complaints that former MLBer CURT SCHILLING’s video game company 38 Studios “failed to pay hundreds of workers for several weeks in May before it shut down operations last week.” Workers said that the company, “which laid off its employees on May 24, stopped issuing paychecks after April 30.” A former employee said that workers “found out about the missed paychecks only when they checked their bank accounts and saw they had not been paid” (BOSTON GLOBE, 5/31).
ALWAYS A FIGHTER: UFC President DANA WHITE said that he is "feeling fine" following a recent diagnosis of Meniere's disease, though his doctor “refused to perform dangerous and complex surgery.” White “insists he will make the doctor perform the surgery, which requires a great deal of recuperation and rehab.” White: “They say it takes a month before you can do anything. So it will take me two weeks” (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/29).
NAMES: Eagles QB MICHAEL VICK is being sued by J.O. Sports Company, which is “alleging that he failed to live up to an agreement that paid the quarterback $101,500.” Among the claims is that Vick “didn’t provide game-worn equipment and didn’t attend private signings, as laid out in the contract” (THEPHILLYPOST.com, 5/29)….NFL agent J.R. RICKERT has been “named as a defendant in three separate lawsuits, the most recent one filed by National Sports Management within the past week” (FORBES.com, 5/29)….About 80 people, including UFC co-Owner FRANK FERTITTA, “showed up at a private $50,000-per person fundraiser" that helped raise $2M for presumptive Republican presidential candidate MITT ROMNEY (LAS VEGAS REVIEW-JOURNAL, 5/31)….The National Football Foundation and College Football HOF yesterday announced that Univ. of Alabama AD MAL MOORE has been named the ’12 recipient of the John L. Toner Award (NFF).
IN MEMORY: NBA Kings minority Owner JOE BENVENUTI passed away yesterday at the age of 91. Benvenuti was “a prominent developer and visionary entrepreneur who helped bring” the Kings to Sacramento and “built Arco Arena and downtown landmarks.” His son, GARY BENVENUTI, said that his father had “been in declining health since a stroke in October.” Benvenuti partnered with GREGG LUKENBILL to move the Kings to Sacramento in ’85 (SACRAMENTO BEE, 5/31)....CBSSports.com Deputy Sports Editor CRAIG STANKE passed away Monday night at age 56 (CBSSPORTS.com, 5/29).
