It was reported last week that CM Punk and his legal team had sent a 22-page letter to WWE regarding the matter of unpaid royalties. Punk walked out on the company in January, the night after the Royal Rumble pay-per-view. Since then, both parties have been quiet about the issue, choosing to simply move on and not look back. However, Punks lawyers recently mailed a lengthy letter to the company seeking unpaid moneys for the Straight Edge Superstar. These royalties are in regard to merchandise sales, as well as Punks inclusion in the upcoming WWE 2K15 video game. It must be made clear that this letter does not mean a lawsuit has been filed -- although theres always the possibility that could take place down the line. Furthermore, it seems that WWE has made a sort of unofficial response to the letter in the last few days. The company has pulled most of CM Punks merchandise from their online shop, and the few items that are left are selling for pennies on the dollar. For example, Punks DVD set has been slashed from $19.99 to $4.99. Furthermore, while no one has commented on the matter officially, talks are reportedly ongoing between Punks legal team, WWE, and 2K Games. It seems that Punk is seeking payment for his inclusion in the upcoming WWE 2K15 game -- especially considering his character being used prominently in the games Showcase mode. While nothing has been determined yet, Punks actions may spell trouble for the games upcoming release. WWE reportedly feels that they do not owe Punk anything, as he breached his contract by walking out on the company -- therefore sacrificing any future royalty payments in the process. However, Punk and his lawyers obviously feel the superstar is entitled to some sort of payment. If the parties are unable to reach an agreement -- either paying Punk or removing him from the game -- then further legal action may be taken, with the matter being brought before a judge. If WWE refuses to allocate any funds to Punk for his characters usage, then theres a strong possibility that WWE 2K15 may be delayed, in order to remove him from the game. We will continue to update this ongoing situation as more information becomes available. Do you think that WWE liquidating their stock of CM Punk merchandise is a direct response to the ex-superstars 22-page letter? Let us know your thoughts on that matter, as well as the ongoing WWE 2K15 issue in the comments below.
Douglas Scarpa is a freelance writer, independent filmmaker, art school graduate, and pro wrestling aficionado -- all of which mean he is in financial ruin. He has no backup plan to speak of, yet maintains his abnormally high spirits. If he had only listened to the scorn of his childhood teachers, he wouldn't be in this situation.
