Lawsuit: Purple Aces paid $10,000 to enter tournament that never happened

EVANSVILLE — The University of Evansville claims a New Jersey marketing company bilked $10,000 from the school that should have paid for the Purple Aces entry into a 2023 basketball tournament.

But there was a problem: the tournament never actually happened.

That's according to a civil complaint UE filed in Vanderburgh County Superior Court against the company, Fastlane Communications LLC.

The complaint alleges repeated failures by Fastlane, a marketing and event-promotion company, to refund money the university paid toward the botched tournament. A contract, executed in March 2023, states that UE would pay Fastlane $20,000 to participate in a basketball tournament dubbed the "Las Vegas Holiday Classic."

"The first $10,000 was due 30 days after signing the contract," the complaint states. "The next $10,000 was due by Nov. 1, 2023."

According to UE's contract with Fastlane, which is attached to public court records, Fastlane asked the university to send the funds to an Oak Ridge, New Jersey, bank.

But the complaint claims UE officials were "misled." After paying the $10,000 down payment for entry, the university learned the tournament was canceled and that the UE men's basketball team had been the only registered entrant.

E-mail records appear to show UE's efforts to recoup funds

According to e-mail records filed in support of the suit, Fastlane officials promised over months to refund the $10,000 payment. Fastlane employees repeatedly said they were looking into the problem, the email records show.

In September 2023, Fastlane Managing Director Ed Manetta told the university the refund "is in queue," one e-mail states.

By October 2023, UE Athletics Director Ziggy Siegfried pleaded with another Fastane official, Chief Financial Officer Chris Faust, to get the ball rolling.

"I would like to respectfully ask for your help," Siegfried wrote to Faust, according to a copy of the email. "We have been trying to get our refund check for a long time now. Every time we check, (Ed Manetta) says he will follow up. I understand there are challenges, but I would like to ask you to get involved to help us get our refund check."

UE spokesman Noah Alatza wrote in a written statement that he believes "the complaint speaks for itself and we are hopeful for a swift and fair conclusion." He could not comment further, citing the ongoing litigation.

A representative for Fastlane Communications LLC could not immediately be reached for comment Friday afternoon. The Courier & Press sent an email to an address listed on the company's website and sent a second email to Faust.

The Courier & Press left a voicemail seeking comment at the phone number listed on Fastlane's website.

UE is seeking an order that would compel Fastlane to hand over a total of $40,000 "and all other relief as is just," along with attorney fees and legal costs, the complaint states.

Fastlane's failure to return the deposit was "intentional and knowing," UE alleges, and constituted "an unauthorized exertion of control over the university's property."

Houston Harwood can be contacted at houston.harwood@courierpress.com

This article originally appeared on Evansville Courier & Press: Lawsuit: Purple Aces paid $10,000 to enter tournament that never happened