The Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) and Commissioner Charles McClelland have secured a pivotal legal victory in a $150 million lawsuit filed by Urban Edge Network, Inc. (UEN), according to a release published by the conference office on Tuesday.
The case, which challenged the SWAC’s exclusive control over its media rights, was partly resolved by an April 21, 2025, arbitration ruling that dismissed all claims filed by Urban Edge. The company had alleged it had the right to broadcast SWAC athletic events, a claim the arbitrator rejected outright.
“UEN has no contractual relationship with SWAC and, as such, no right to market, sell, or promote advertising, broadcasting, or similar rights for SWAC games or events of its member institutions,” the arbitrator wrote in the order.
In addition to dismissing those claims, the arbitrator issued a permanent injunction prohibiting Urban Edge and its founders, Hardy Pelt and Todd Brown, from making “any further fraudulent attempts to sell SWAC’s advertising and media rights to third parties, otherwise use SWAC’s media, or induce SWAC’s member institutions to breach their agreements with SWAC.”
“This is a significant victory for the SWAC, who still has claims against Urban Edge that will proceed to trial,” the statement added. “Urban Edge’s dismissed claims include the following claims Urban Edge asserted against both the SWAC and SWAC’s Commissioner McClelland: tortious interference with contracts, tortious interference with prospective contractual and business relations, defamation, and unfair business practices.”
