What Patreon failed to anticipate is that, according to its own terms of service, Benjamin's fans could file arbitration claims against the company for disrupting their economic relationship with him. When Benjamin encouraged his fans to file claims, 72 of them took the hint and did exactly that. Because the cases were filed in California, Patreon has to pay the arbitration filing fees upfront on each separate case and other legal fees. Altogether, this could cost as much as $20-million regardless of the outcome. Patreon cannot survive that. -GEG

A court has issued a final ruling denying fan-funding platform Patreon's request for an injunction against 72 former backers of comedian Owen Benjamin who are seeking arbitration against the company for disrupting the economic relationship between themselves and Benjamin.