LEFT ’EM HANGIN’
Surfer pro in ‘Monster’ beef with drink company
Dude — this lawsuit is alleging some majorly bogus behavior on the part of a beverage- maker.
Two-time world surfing champ John John Florence has sued Monster Beverage, claiming that the energy-drinks giant hasn’t shelled out any of the hundreds of thousands of dollars he says he’s owed for using his growing notoriety and curly blond locks in its ad campaigns.
According to the 26-yearold Florence — who last year was named men’s champion of the prestigious World Surf League — he and Monster cut a three-year marketing deal beginning in January 2017.
Under the deal, Florence — who has starred in surfer flicks including “View From a Blue Moon” and the recent video “Space” — agreed to promote Monster drinks for $350,000 a year plus $150,000 toward a marketing production that recounted his pursuit of his world surfing title, court records show.
Nevertheless, Monster “has refused to pay any amount whatsoever under the 2017 agreement,” according to the suit, which has managed to stay under the media radar despite getting filed in Cali- fornia state court in May.
That’s despite the fact that Monster has plastered Florence all over “its websites, social media channels, and in print and digital ad campaigns,” according to Florence’s suit.
Monster, meanwhile, counters that Florence hid “material facts” during contract talks. The company didn’t elaborate, but claims it “would not have signed the contract if Monster had known such representations by Florence were false.”
Earlier this year — well after the Monster contract was signed — Florence tore his ACL and hasn’t surfed competitively since.
It couldn’t be learned whether the ACL injury was a bone of contention between Florence and Monster.
Reps for Florence and Monster didn’t return calls seeking comment this week.
Despite not getting paid by Monster, the surfer claims he “repeatedly saw Monster’s advertising prominently featuring Florence’s name and likeness without [his] authorization, including while in the presence of others, causing Florence to experience embarrassment, humiliation and emotional distress,” according to the suit.
Florence likewise claims that the Monster relationship has been a series of broken promises and last-minute switches to the contract.
After getting lavish promises from Monster’s sports marketing executive, Tim English — including an emailed pledge for retroactive pay in the three-year deal — Florence says Monster sent a longer-form version with watered-down pay provisions.
In response, Monster blames Florence’s woes, without elaborating, on his “failure to exercise reasonable care and diligence.”
In September, a judge declined to dismiss Florence’s lawsuit.
Attorneys for Florence and Monster are slated to meet on Wednesday for a conference hearing in Riverside County (Calif.) Superior Court.