Ad Disclosure
Mike Missanelli vs. JAKIB Media: Depositions and Denied Motions
Published:
In the ongoing legal battle between Mike Missanelli and JAKIB Media’s Joe Krause, the judge presiding over the case denied on Wednesday Missanelli’s motion for sanctions while at the same time ordering the summer depositions of both Krause and Missanelli:
Krause has been ordered to appear for his deposition on June 26th and Missanelli at a time to be determined in July. Last month, Missanelli’s attorney filed a motion to compel Krause’s deposition after alleging that Krause never showed up at the Montco Bar Association for a scheduled appearance. That was combined with a motion asking for sanctions, plus $400 in reimbursement, which the judge has now denied.
Mike’s lawyer had also filed a separate motion for additional sanctions, arguing that Krause violated the judge’s order to produce a set of documents that was to include a full copy of the contract, hyperlinks to JAKIB postgame shows and social media postings, and copies of the checks and direct deposits sent to to Missanelli.
In response, Krause filed in late May an answer to the motion, claiming that he was in full compliance while requesting the following:
a) Deny Plaintiff’s Motion for Sanctions, as Defendant complied with the April 8, 2025, Order.
b) Admonish Plaintiff’s counsel, Kevin H. Wright, for bad-faith misrepresentations and frivolous filings.
c) Impose sanctions against Plaintiff under Pa.R.C.P. 1023.4 for violating Pa.R.C.P. 4009.12 and harassing tactics.
d) Grant Defendant’s Motion for Protective Order (filed May 5, 2025), if pending, to prevent further abuse; and
e) Grant such other relief as the Court deems just.
In a separate filing, Krause reiterated his stance that Mike’s contract is not enforceable because it was never “signed by Plaintiff on both required pages.” He also argues, if the contract was implied and ultimately ruled valid, that Missanelli did not fulfill all of the required obligations, listed in court documents as a 20-week, one-hour recap show, 60 social media posts, and an October, 2023 sponsor event at Marks Jewelers.
In his counterclaim, Krause argues that the $25,000 he paid Missanelli “exceeded the value of his partial performance” and was made “under the mistaken belief that Plaintiff would fulfill all obligations.. rendering retention inequitable.” He claims he suffered damages of $500,000 due to these breaches, a combination of lost sponsorship revenue and reputational harm. He believes he is entitled to restitution of that $25,000, based on “compensatory and consequential damages for Plaintiff’s breaches and tortious interference, punitive damages, and interest.”
The filing also accuses Missanelli of “orchestrating media attacks,” citing mostly Crossing Broad stories to support the argument. Note that our reporting on this case is based on public court documents and notes of testimony provided by Montgomery County, paid out of our own pockets.
Kevin has been writing about Philadelphia sports since 2009. He spent seven years in the CBS 3 sports department and started with the Union during the team's 2010 inaugural season. He went to the academic powerhouses of Boyertown High School and West Virginia University. email - k.kinkead@sportradar.com