Over the weekend, reports emerged that David Beckham was suing Mark Wahlberg over allegedly being "duped" into signing on with the Invincible actor's F45 Training, which Walberg holds 36 percent stake in and serves as chief brand officer for. Though Wahlberg's legal team tried to have the lawsuit thrown out, a judge has determined that the case will proceed.
This isn't the first time Beckham has tried to sue the company, as his legal dispute now goes back more than a year and a half. Here's everything you need to know about the lawsuit.
What is F45 Training?
F45 Training is a franchise of fitness centers that was founded in 2011 by Adam Gilchrist and Rob Deutsche. After opening its first studio in Sydney, Australia, it now operates 2,000 studios in over 60 countries across Australia, North America, South America, Asia, Europe, and Africa. The company, which is based in Austin, TX, was once ranked among the fastest-growing fitness franchises in the U.S. in 2021.
The name refers to the 45-minute "functional" workouts, which combine high-intensity interval training (HIIT) with circuit training. Some of the workouts are cardio-heavy while others are more focused on strength and resistance. They also primarily use basic equipment that can be employed in a relatively compact space, such as resistance bands, kettlebells, medicine balls, free weights, barbells, exercise bikes, rowers, and pull-up bars.
Wahlberg’s stake in the brand is believed to be worth up to $15 million. In addition to being an investor in the company, the 52-year-old also serves on board of directors.
How did David Beckham get involved with the company?
Beckham moved his family to Los Angeles in 2007 to play for the L.A. Galaxy in Major League Soccer (MLS), where he eventually befriended Wahlberg and later became involved with F45 in 2021. The Beckhams have since moved to Miami, while Wahlberg now resides in Las Vegas.
Beckham was named F45's Global Ambassador to capitalize on his millions of social media followers, and the company said that he would hold a "key role in its brand marketing initiative to support its continued expansion."
The pair announced their partnership in a since-deleted 2021 Instagram post, in which the company wrote: "Welcome to the F45 fam [David Beckham] This is just the beginning of our journey together, we hope you’re all ready for what’s to come."
Why is David Beckham suing Mark Wahlberg?
Beckham first attempted to sue Wahlberg in October 2022 alongside Australian golf entrepreneur Greg Norman. However, a judge asked them to split up their grievances into two separate lawsuits.
Like Norman, Beckham says he was misled into agreeing to be an ambassador for the company. According to legal documents obtained by TMZ, Beckham claims he never received the $10 million he was promised as part of the contract. The 48-year-old alleges that he was promised stocks as compensation for the partnership, but that the company did not deliver until shares plummeted, leaving him out $8.5 million.
Though the company was once valued at $1.4 billion, the Sydney Morning Herald reported in October 2023 that F45 had lost over $370 million between 2021 and 2023.
Beckham likewise has a separate lawsuit which names the actor's investment firm, Mark Wahlberg Investment Group (MWIG), as well as founders Gilchrist and Deutsch.
According to The Sun, Wahlberg and his co-defendants asked a judge to dismiss the lawsuit on grounds that it's "fraudulent," however the judge ruled against them that the case would proceed. "The 209-page, 610-paragraph SAC [complaint] tries to make up with length what it lacks in merit," Wahlberg’s lawyers stated in response.
But this isn't the first time F45 has been sued by a celebrity partner. In 2017, former NFL receiver Terrell Owens filed a lawsuit claiming that the brand failed to pay him $700,000 he was owed. Though, it's unclear what became of that lawsuit.
from Men's Journal https://ift.tt/Vopm8Ce
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