Ben and Collins Johns withdrew from MLP Columbus after just one match, citing safety concerns around the indoor lighting levels.
A source has confirmed to The Dink that Ben has agreed to forfeit $60,000 while Collin will forfeit $18,000. These figures represent their respective event payouts for the four matches they missed.
League Commissioner Samin Odhwani and UPA CEO Connor Pardoe said shortly after their withdrawal that the "UPA will be officially reviewing the full set of circumstances and context around the Carolina Hogs. Any potential disciplinary measures will be shared early next week."
Well, it's now the next week, and the disciplinary measures have been made known.
According to an MLP statement posted to X:
After formal review of the events at the MLP Columbus 2025 event, it has been determined that Ben Johns and Collin Johns were granted permission to withdraw from their remaining matches through on-site league approval.
Ben Johns and Collin Johns have agreed to forfeit their event payouts for the four matches in which they did not appear.
Our Tour Operations Team will continue to aim to have lighting standards for all future events, while also balancing the realities of our event venues. Many factors go into the venues that MLP and PPA select, including operations, the opportunity to play in new communities, the ability to showcase the sports within iconic and unique facilities and more - all with the overarching goal to grow the game.
A few things to note from this release:
- The specific dollar amounts were not made public
- A forfeiture of event payouts is not equivalent to a fine–effectively, they weren't paid for the matches they didn't participate in
- Who was involved in the formal review? Wouldn't we like to know
- It's unclear who granted them permission to withdraw, and at what point during the event that occurred
- Will PPA and/or MLP indoor lighting standards be publicized going forward?
The Carolina Hogs aren't in action again until next month, but the Johns brothers will both be competing at the PPA Atlanta Slam May 12-18.
