British marketing executive Stacy Mattocks, responsible for the hit tv show "The Game" is suing BET over wrongful use of the show's Facebook Page. Maddock, who started a Facebook page for the show when it first aired on CW, was shut down by Facebook and the site transferred her fans to the "non-existent" BET "The Game" page. R
According to THR, this is the inside story:
A woman by the name of Stacey Mattocks is the woman credited with engineering the show’s robust social media following. Mattocks created the show’s Facebook page back when it was on the CW (she later established the Twitter account, too) in 2008. When BET was gearing up for the show’s return, they reached out to Mattocks to figure out a way to work with her and the following she had built. Things were amicable at first, but according to a story in the Hollywood Reporter, the two sides have soured on each other. On Monday, Mattocks filed a lawsuit against the network.
For her work, Mattocks says that BET agreed to pay her $30 per hour to work as a social media “freelancer.” But the network wanted more.
“BET was searching for a more ‘permanent’ way to capitalize on the FB Page and Mattocks’ efforts,” says the lawsuit. “Therefore, on December 15, 2010, BET submitted a proposed contract to Mattocks that would have paid her a maximum of $85,000.00 over a one year period. Mattocks declined this offer because it was unreasonably low, would have stripped her of all rights to the FB Page, and, moreover, could have been terminated at any point by BET, with or without cause.”
According to the complaint, “In newspaper and magazine articles, Mattocks was credited by BET executives for playing a critical role in reviving interest in the Show and making it a massive success with viewers.”
But Mattocks refused to transfer ownership of her Facebook page to BET, and on Feb. 8, 2011, she alleges that Facebook disabled her account.
BET then contacted Facebook to inform the social platform that it had been a “mistake,” says the lawsuit. The account was restored, but the following day, BET allegedly requested that Mattocks provide them with “administrative access.” Mattocks also says she was given a “Letter Agreement,” that provided BET with such access with the assurance that “BET will not change the administrative rights to the Page to exclude you from the Page.”
Mattocks says she executed the agreement fearing that her account would be randomly disabled.
Mattocks said she first created a fan page on Facebook in 2008, and by the time BET picked up the show, it had 750,000 “likes.” As BET prepared to debut the show, the Facebook page helped create “buzz,” and grew at approximately 100,000 “likes” per week. For her work, Mattocks says that BET agreed to pay her $30 per hour to work as a social media “freelancer.” But the network wanted more. “BET was searching for a more ‘permanent’ way to capitalize on the FB Page and Mattocks’ efforts,” says the lawsuit. “Therefore, on December 15, 2010, BET submitted a proposed contract to Mattocks that would have paid her a maximum of $85,000.00 over a one year period. Mattocks declined this offer because it was unreasonably low, would have stripped her of all rights to the FB Page, and, moreover, could have been terminated at any point by BET, with or without cause.”
Maddock is alleging that BET copied her Facebook page and they are in breach of contract, copyright infringement and breach of good faith and fair dealing. Represented by Tripp Scott, we should be hearing more from this story soon. Check out the video below on the Mo'nique show with Maddox and the BET cast after the beginning of the new season.
