In a civil action complaint filed on May 28, 2024, in the United States District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania, Steven Geltman has accused AllCity Network, Inc. and BSN Live, Inc. of age discrimination. The lawsuit alleges violations of the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA), the Pennsylvania Human Relations Act (PHRA), and the Philadelphia Fair Practices Ordinance (PFPO).
Steven Geltman, represented by Karpf, Karpf & Cerutti, P.C., filed this complaint against his former employers AllCity Network, Inc. and BSN Live, Inc., after being terminated from his position as Director of Sales in December 2023. Geltman claims that despite his extensive experience and successful performance in sports marketing and sales, he was subjected to discriminatory comments about his age from colleagues and management.
According to the court documents, Geltman was hired on September 8, 2023, bringing with him over 40 years of experience in sports marketing. He reported directly to Jonathan Riskin, Vice President of Revenue at AllCity Network. Despite receiving positive feedback about his performance from management—who reportedly stated they needed "the Steve Geltman in every market"—Geltman faced derogatory remarks related to his age from team members and higher-ups.
The complaint details several instances where Geltman's age was mocked or highlighted negatively:
- Management suggested he take a refresher course on technology due to his age.
- Colleagues referred to him as "the old guy," "older guy," or "elderly."
- During sales meetings overseen by Riskin, participants made comments like “for an old guy, you are doing that pretty good.”
- An investor expressed surprise that Geltman understood technology despite his age.
Approximately one month before his termination, Defendants hired Rick Zitkovic—a significantly younger individual—whom Geltman had initially recruited and supervised. On December 8, 2023, Riskin informed Geltman that he was being terminated because he was “not a good fit” and cited salary cuts and workforce streamlining as reasons for the decision. However, following his termination, Geltman discovered that Zitkovic had taken over all sales opportunities he had developed and that Defendants were hiring for positions similar to those he could have filled.
Geltman believes these actions were pretextual and aimed at concealing their true motive: age discrimination. After filing a Charge of Discrimination with the EEOC alleging age discrimination post-termination, Defendants claimed for the first time that Geltman's termination was due to an abrasive personality and poor performance—claims which were never raised during his employment.
In seeking redress from the court under Count I for violation of ADEA (Age Discrimination), Geltman requests:
- Implementation of anti-discrimination policies by Defendants.
- Compensation for lost pay and benefits including back pay, front pay, bonuses, insurance benefits among others.
- Liquidated or punitive damages to punish Defendants' willful conduct.
- Equitable relief including damages for emotional distress under PHRA.
- Coverage of legal costs and attorney’s fees.
- A jury trial.
Representing Steven Geltman is Ari R. Karpf from Karpf, Karpf & Cerutti P.C., while the case is assigned Case ID: 2:24-cv-02255-WB with Judge Wendy Beetlestone presiding.