Sports Litigation Alert Current Issue

By Ellen J. Staurowsky, Ed.D., Senior Contributor and Professor, Sports Media, Roy H. Park School of Communications, Ithaca College In a case involving a question of whether the University of Kentucky (UK) provided women athletes with equal access to varsity athletic...

By Gary Chester, Senior Writer About five years ago, The Bleacher Report compiled a list of the 50 best logos in sports, with the New York Yankees taking the top spot. The only colleges in the top ten were Notre Dame and Miami. Yes, the orange and green “U” of the...

By Professor Robert J. Romano, JD, LLM, St. John’s University, Senior Writer On March 7, 2023, Tamenang Choh, a former Brown University basketball player, together with current player Grace Kirk, filed a lawsuit in the U. S. District Court for the District of...

By Ben Coulthard In Favre v. Sharpe,[1] a Fifth Circuit decision levied in September 2024 has affirmed a 2023 district court ruling from the Southern District of Mississippi.[2] The decision effectively dismisses a defamation suit by former Green Bay Packers...

A federal judge from the District of Connecticut has denied the Connecticut Association of Schools (CIAC) and its co-defendants’ motion to dismiss a claim brought by four student athletes, who alleged that they were denied “opportunities at elite track-and-field...

By Sarah Pack In recent years, sports organizations—whether teams, leagues, conferences, or governing bodies—have increasingly sought innovative legal solutions to meet the complex demands of their operations. From player contracts and labor relations to intellectual...

By Joseph M. Ricco IV The Peninsula School District in Pierce County, Washington, is at the center of a federal lawsuit after a high school football rivalry game took a dangerous turn. During the 2023 “Fish Bowl”, an annual showdown between Gig Harbor and Peninsula...

By Gigi Wood The ongoing antitrust litigation involving 23XI Racing, co-owned by NBA legend Michael Jordan, and Front Row Motorsports against NASCAR illuminates significant concerns regarding the allegedly monopolistic practices within the stock car racing industry....

By Austin Spears Serena Hodson, a former student-athlete at San Diego State University, is suing Cal State University's Board of Trustees, claiming that she suffered multiple traumatic brain injuries and failed to receive correct medical treatment while playing for...

By Bradyn Rogers Because collegiate Esports is in its infancy, it is currently facing a plethora of growing pains. One such issue is the use of performance enhancing drugs (PEDs). Prominent PEDs in this field range from cannabinoids to stimulants. Specifically, the...

By Christopher R. Deubert, Senior Writer The current NHL-NHL Players Association (NHLPA) collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires in September 2026, shortly before a new season would start.  ESPN has recently reported on the NHLPA’s priorities entering those...

By Vinny Badolato and Katherine Dearing, of Brown Rudnick  When you think of the No. 8 on a sports jersey, which professional athlete comes to mind first – Kobe Bryant? Cal Ripken Jr.? Alex Ovechkin? Perhaps even Yogi Berra (for those “seasoned” N.Y. Yankees...

By Christopher R. Deubert, Senior Writer In February 2020, MLS and the MLS Players Association (MLSPA) agreed to an unprecedented provision in their new collective bargaining agreement (CBA) – the salary budget (cap) would increase if MLS’ broadcast revenues increased...

By Daniel F. Roland and Christopher C. Howes, of Finnegan, Henderson, Farabow, Garrett & Dunner, LLP As an owner of a National Association for Stock Car Auto Racing (NASCAR) team and a three-time Super Bowl champion as a head coach in the National Football League...

A study by researchers at the University of Oregon has demonstrated that legalized sports gambling is correlated to an increase in local domestic violence incidents. The study, conducted by Researchers Kyutaro Matsuzawa and Emily Arnesen within the Department of...

Wasti brings more than a decade of experience providing legal support to mega sporting events from bid and host country planning, to operations and implementation, through to wind-up and dissolution. With an event focused legal practice including corporate and...

By Mia Thurow (Editor’s Note: The following interview with Marquette University Law School alumnus Lance Spaude (’16), who works as an Ultimate Fighting Championship agent for Iridium Sports Agency in Las Vegas, appeared in Marquette Wire.) Question: For...

Cozen O’Connor has announced its sponsorship of rising star Rachel Kuehn for the 2024-2025 LPGA season. One of the top amateurs in the world for the last several years, Kuehn made her professional debut last month at The Annika driven by Gainbridge LPGA tournament,...

Global law firm Hogan Lovells advised Tom Gores of Platinum Equity and owner of the Detroit Pistons, on his purchase of a minority stake in the Los Angeles Chargers.  The Hogan Lovells deal team was led by Global Head of Sports and partner Matthew Eisler (New...

The Las Vegas Night Owls of Major League Pickleball (MLP) has announced the appointment of Chris Patrick as their new General Manager. The franchise noted that it believes that Patrick's "wealth of experience will significantly enhance their...