Baylor University has been home to several serious issues, including a murder cover up and threatening to deport a student-athlete who committed elsewhere, but the latest will almost certainly result in heavy NCAA sanctions. Following the latest allegations, Baylor University conducted an external review of the institution’s handling of Title IX (and related) issues, which …
On September 19, the North American Soccer League (NASL) filed an antitrust lawsuit against the United States Soccer Federation (USSF) after the governing body decided not to renew the league’s divisional sanction for 2018. Though it likely faces long odds, the long-awaited lawsuit could have a significant impact on the structure of soccer in the …
In the late hours of Sunday, February 19, 2017, the Sacramento Kings traded their best player, DeMarcus “Boogie” Cousins, to the New Orleans Pelicans for a variety of players and picks, which were, by most accounts, not equal trade value for the Kings’ All-Star center.[i] The official NBA collective bargaining agreement is barely a month …
Last month the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) issued an advice memorandum concerning the Northwestern football handbook, and the team’s social media rules. An NLRB Associate General Counsel concluded that the team rules were initially unlawful, but were immediately changed once given notice, and brought within the confines of the National Labor Relations Act (NLRA). …
The NBA is in the midst of an unprecedented three-year transition during which its salary cap will nearly double from $63 million to around $102 million, due in large part to a broadcasting contract worth billions of dollars. This year alone, the cap jumped from $70 million to $94 million. What have we learned from …
Part II: The Costs of Professional Sports in a Community This is the second part of a series on public subsidies for professional sports. In Part One, I introduced the problem of subsidies and the rationales that local governments use to justify them. So we know why governments provide subsidies to sports – to redevelop …
The NBA’s board of governors voted 28-1-1 to pass legislation on draft lottery reform, with Oklahoma City voting against the reform and Dallas abstaining. While Silver himself admitted that the reform is “far from perfect,” the NBA hopes the new rules will limit teams’ attempts to tank in an effort to get higher picks. Under …
Long before Sam Hinkie asked Philadelphia 76ers fans to trust the process, there was Charlie Finley. Long before Roger Goodell became known as the most notorious commissioner in professional sports, there was Bowie Kuhn. One of the most famous sports law cases[i] in history saw these two face off in a battle of egos that …
The Washington Redskins and their controversial name are once again back in the national spotlight. Yesterday, United States District Judge Gerald Bruce Lee affirmed the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s cancellation of six of the team’s trademark registrations. In terms of the public relations battle, the ruling is certainly a big victory for opponents of …
It’s March, which can only mean one thing: college basketball is in the air. The 2017 NCAA Men’s Basketball Tournament will shortly capture the attention of millions across the nation. Blue Bloods, Cinderellas, and, of course, brackets will become the sole topics of discussion at office water coolers. Off the court, however, the NCAA has …