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Monday 08th of February 2010 05:16:54 PM

You may not think of promotional clothing as something that can get you into trouble, but they can. Wrestling referee Earl Hebner found that out when he was fired from the WWE (World Wrestling Entertainment) in 2005 because he violated merchandising rights. Promotional clothing is considered to be so important to brand image that violations of its use can lead to serious consequences.

Hebner is no stranger to controversy. He is one of the most well known referees largely due to controversy. In 1988 Hebner made a call in a fight where André the Giant was pronounced a winner over Hulk Hogan for a WWF Championship title. Most people did not agree with the Hebner call. Then in 1997 Hebner made another questionable call during a main event of the 1997 Survivor Series. This call became known as the “Montreal Screwjob”. Fans have not forgotten this event over the years and the controversy has followed Hebner since then.

In fact, just last month Earl Hebner was introduced to a crowd of boxing fans in Manchester, England before an event. Because of the “Montreal Screwjob” incident in 1997, fans are still shouting, “You screwed Bret!” They are also still shouting “You stole t-shirts!” over his firing for violating WWE merchandising rights. The continued antagonism by fans over the use of printed t-shirts is somewhat surprising but it is just another layer on a history of refereeing that includes a number of questionable calls.

Boxing for entertainment as opposed to Olympic or professional style boxing is a lively bawdy event. Fans are noisy, enthusiastic, and always ready to express their opinions. The seats are filled with kids and adults and screaming is encouraged. Merchandising is a huge money generator and that’s why Hebner’s violations using promotional clothing were taken so seriously. He had to learn the hard way and now the fans won’t let him forget.

© Image by Gabriella Fabbri, www.sxc.hu/