Amid the hubbub of CES last week, it was easy to miss the fact that Monster Cable‘s Noel Lee brokered a deal with the Long Island-based mom-and-pop outfit, Monster Mini Golf. To refresh your memory, last year Monster Cable sued the mini golf company for copyright infringement. Monster Mini Golf took their fight to the people, namely eBay where company founders Christina and Patrick Vitagliano posted a proper proletariat call to arms. The story was quickly picked up by many technology outlets and if their comments sections were any indication, a general unhappiness with Monster Cable’s history of copyright litigation had set in with consumers and business owners alike.
On January 6, Christina Vitagliano posted a letter to the Mini Golf website, expressing joy at coming to a sane agreement with Head Monster Noel Lee, who also posted his thoughts in a letter to Monster Mini Golf (also published on the company’s website). Though numbers were not discussed, lawyers were apparently tossed out of the room, a good heart-to-heart was had by all involved, the lawsuit was dropped, and Monster Cable will pick up the tab for those pesky attorney fees.
All kidding aside, it is good to know that Monster Cable was compassionate enough not to cripple this small business with litigation that would have ultimately served to make Monster Cable look very bad. Whether it was the terrible publicity, the outcry from everyone following this saga, or Noel Lee’s rational side kicking in, that Monster Mini Golf can continue operating without a huge court battle in these tough economic times is a brilliant way for all parties to start the new year.
