EL RENO — The sports agent for several notable professional bull riders has sued the makers of an alternative to smokeless tobacco, alleging failure to make payments for endorsements of the product
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Cowboy Sports Agents Inc., a Yukon-based corporation, sued the makers of Blue Whale, a nontobacco smokeless dip made of tea leaves, according to the product maker's Web site.
Cowboy Sports Agents Inc. represents such bull riders as Cory McFadden, Guilherme Marchi, Travis Briscoe, Dustin Hall, Ross Johnson, Gerardo Venegas, Mike White and Chris Shivers.
The riders all entered into contracts to endorse the Blue Whale product that were not honored, the lawsuit alleges.
The civil lawsuit, filed Thursday in Canadian County District Court in El Reno, alleges Blue Whale did not make payments to bull riders in exchange for the bull riders wearing the Blue Whale name on their apparel during rodeo events.
Blue Whale spokesman Mike Welch would not talk about the lawsuit.
The lawsuit, which asks for damages in excess of $10,000, has been assigned to District Judge Edward Cunningham.
A court date had not been set.
The bull riders have not been compensated for advertising Blue Whale products, wearing Blue Whale apparel, and promoting the product during appearances and competitions in Professional Bull Riders events, the civil lawsuit states.
Michael H. Brady of Oklahoma City, an attorney for Cowboy Sports Inc., said contracts dating to December 2005 were not upheld.
