Sportsman Bounced a Check, Promoter Says

PROVO, Utah (CN) - A sports marketing company claims an ambitious sports apparel salesman named Shawn Jones took a free ride at NFL parties, bounced a $15,000 check, and owes it $175,000 for its work promoting Jones' brand.

The SportsDream Foundation says it produces "sports charity events, sports marketing, development and other events" across the country. It claims to have "substantial personal and professional contacts in the sports and entertainment world which were high profile and highly desirable for endorsements, sponsorships and marketing purposes."

It claims that Jones wanted to "obtain access to plaintiff's events and the celebrities who attended them," to push his True Players clothing line.

So Sports Dreams says it agreed to let Jones be a sponsor of the 2009 Pro Bowl Player party, which Sports Dreams produced.

During that party, Sports Dream says, it agreed to allow Jones to push his True Players line at two other bashes: the 2009 SportsDream Bowl in Las Vegas, and the 2009 Pre-Espy's Award Show at the Playboy Mansion in Los Angeles.

"Jones and the True Players entities disclosed to plaintiff that they were suffering cash flow problems buy Jones personally represented that he had received 'commitments' from various third parties or officers of the Third Player entities which could cover all of the costs of these events participated in by Jones," the complaint states. So Sports Dream says it let Jones and his brand into the Las Vegas event "without up-front payment as was plaintiffs' typical policy."

Sports Dreams claims that New York Jets quarterback, Mark Sanchez, retired NBA star Robert Horry and boxer Shane Mosley appeared at the Law Vegas event, wearing True Players clothing, which "thrilled" Jones. In fact, photos of the athletes at that even "can be seen to this day on the trueplayer.com website owned and controlled by Jones and the True Players entities," the complaint states.

But Jones and True Players never ponied up the $25,000 sponsorship fee for that event, the plaintiff says, nor did he pay the Espy's Event fee, which was $100,000.

Pressed for the money, the plaintiff says Jones came across with a check for $15,000, which bounced.

"In the more than a year since July 13, 2009, all plaintiff has received is empty promises, false promises of future interests, investors or other means of paying the sums due and owing," Sports Dream says.

It claims Jones owes it $125,000 in sponsorship fees and $50,000 in costs and expenses. It also seeks punitive damages for fraud, misrepresentation, and unjust enrichment. Sports Dream is represented in Utah County Court by Michael Moss, of Sandy, Utah.

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