Sports Litigation Alert Current Issue
Here’s the latest issue of Sports Litigation Alert, the nation’s only subscription-based periodical reporting on the intersection of sports and the law. We also publish 11 other sports law periodicals. Visit hackneypublications.com to learn more.
Case Summaries
Defeat of Race Discrimination and Retaliation Claims Affirmed by the Eleventh Circuit
By Jeff Birren, Senior Writer Travis S. Thomas, Sr. sued Auburn University for race discrimination, hostile work environment and retaliation in 2021. One claim was dismissed in 2022. Both sides later filed summary judgment motions. Thomas’s motion was denied, Auburn’s...
Mark Termini Associates, Inc. v. Klutch Sports Group, LLC: Request for Arbitration Denied
By Christian Dennie Mark Termini and his associated entity (collectively “Termini”) filed suit against Klutch Sports Group, LLC and Rich Paul (collectively “Klutch”) asserting that Termini is entitled to unpaid commissions for Termini’s assistance in negotiating NBA...
NFL Stuffs Plaintiff at the Goal Line in Video Privacy Protection Act Case
A federal judge from the Southern District of New York has granted the NFL’s motion to dismiss a lawsuit brought by a fan, who sued the league, pursuant to the Video Privacy Protection Act (VPPA). The ruling hinged on the court’s determination that the fan was not a...
Court Rebuffs Racing Team Owned by Jordan in Lawsuit Against NASCAR
A federal judge from the Western District of North Carolina has denied 23XI Racing LLC and Front Row Motorsports’ bid for a preliminary injunction in a case that in which the teams, co-owned by basketball legend Michael Jordan, were seeking permission to participate...
Articles
Personal Publicity or Competition? Self-Promoter Banned from Future NYC Marathons
By John T. Wendt Anyone who has trained for a marathon knows how hard it is. Anyone who has run a marathon knows how brutal it is. You train, you prepare, you even visualize how the race will go – what will happen, even what could go wrong. You know...
The Ongoing Controversy Over Native American Imagery in the NFL
ByJoseph Stipp In recent years, the sports world has grappled with the complex issue of cultural appropriation, particularly concerning the use of Native American names and imagery in professional sports. The...
An Institutional Guide to Implementing productive NIL program
By Mark Koesterer, Founder, The Players NIL Building a robust Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) education platform for college athletes is critical in the evolving landscape of collegiate sports. With proposed changes, such as potential revenue-sharing models, salary...
The Inevitable Evolution of NIL Rights Continues to Reconfigure the Economies of Collegiate Athletics
By William M. Sullivan, Jr., Alex G. Anderson and Jake Mitchell As 2024 comes to a close, permutations in the arena of name, image and likeness (NIL) impacting collegiate athletics continue unabated. Most prominently, Northern District of...
NFL General Counsel Jeff Pash Discusses Sunday Ticket Litigation and Offers Advice for Aspiring Sports Lawyers
By Scott Young London. Munich. Mexico City. When you think “American Football,” these aren’t exactly the first locations that come to mind. Nevertheless, since 2007, the National Football League has officially hosted more than 50 regular season games overseas as...
Can Schools Stop Students From Praying Before or After Sporting Events?
School prayer has been an issue facing school districts for decades, especially when it comes to before or after sporting events. Cases have arisen in the lower courts in which public school educators or students have wanted to pray in various contexts and, as a...
Gaming Director at Scholastic Esports Federation Discusses Texas’ Progressive Approach to Esports
Patrick Neff is a gamer masquerading as a PhD candidate in Sports Management at Texas A&M University with a focus on esports organizations and scholastic esports. Previously, he has taught every technology area at the middle and high school levels. He hopes that...
Sports Lawyer Josh Goldberg Joins Polsinelli
Josh Goldberg, who focuses his sports law practice on representing athletes, NIL collectives, and other sports entities, has joined Polsinelli as an associate in its Miami office. Goldberg, previously at Greenspoon Marder, also regularly advises founders on...
Mass General Brigham and Concussion Legacy Foundation Scientists Identify New Concussion Sign
Concussion researchers have recognized a new concussion sign that could identify up to 33% of undiagnosed concussions. After a hit to the head, individuals sometimes quickly shake their head back and forth. Although it has been depicted in movies, television, and even...
Attorney General Asks U.S. Supreme Court to Limit Girls’ Sports Teams to Biological Females
South Carolina Attorney General Alan Wilson joined 23 other states in asking the U.S. Supreme Court to hear an Arizona case to protect girls’ and women’s sports. “Sports teams are divided by sex to begin with to give girls a level playing field so they’re not...
Chicago Cubs Seek Corporate Counsel
The Chicago Cubs are seeking to hire Corporate Counsel to work in the legal depart of the iconic franchise. The Cubs describe the position as “a critical player in the Chicago Cubs Legal Department and will provide legal support to business units across the Chicago...
News Briefs
Squires Named Chief Venues and Operations Officer of FIFA World Cup 2026 New York New Jersey Host Committee
Sports Lawyer William (Bill) D. Squires, who serves as President of his company - The Right Stuff Consulting, has been named Chief Venues and Operations Officer at FIFA 2026 Men’s World Cup New York New Jersey Host Committee. Reporting directly to the New York and New...
11TH Circuit Rules on State’s Refusal To Allow Prayer at Florida High School Football Title Game
By Gary Chester, Senior Writer Do public prayers and high school football mix? The U.S. Supreme Court responded affirmatively in Kennedy v. Bremerton School District (2022), ruling that a school district had wrongly terminated a coach for conducting post-game prayers...