SAN JUAN, Puerto Rico — Bad Bunny’s sports representation firm was held in contempt Wednesday by a federal judge, who ordered it to withdraw from a new arbitration proceeding it filed against the Major League Baseball Players Association.
U.S. District Judge Camille L. Vélez-Rivé also ordered Rimas Sports to pay the union’s legal fees and costs for the association’s work to force the company to comply with Vélez-Rivé’s Aug. 15 order.
“Rimas Sports’ contempt is evident, and the court concludes remedial sanctions are appropriate,” Vélez-Rivé wrote in a six-page order.
The union issued a notice of discipline to Rimas agents William Arroyo, Noah Assad and Jonathan Miranda on April 10 and fined them $400,000 for misconduct. Arroyo was an agent certified by the union to represent players and represented New York Mets catcher Francisco Alvarez and teammate Ronny Mauricio. Arroyo was decertified and the other two told they could not apply for certification.
Arbitrator Ruth M. Moscovitch is scheduled to hear an appeal by Arroyo governed by the union’s regulations.
Rimas Sports, under its corporate name Diamond Sports LLC, sued in mid-May asking for a restraining order against the union that would allow it to keep working with the company’s clients.
After Vélez-Rivé granted a motion by the players’ association to compel arbitration under the union’s regulations, Rimas filed a commercial arbitration demand with the American Arbitration Association. That prompted the union to file a motion seeking civil contempt sanctions.
Vélez-Rivé ordered Rimas to withdraw its AAA demand by close of business Thursday and said the union has until Sept. 11 to submit a list of its legal fees and costs.
Rimas did not immediately respond to a request for comment.