Football

Attorneys for the NFLPA and the NFL were back in federal court on Wednesday for oral arguments regarding the propriety of Roger Goodell’s decision to uphold Tom Brady’s four-game suspension. Even if Brady ‘wins’ it is not certain that he would play week 1. The uncertainty is entirely dependent on why Judge Berman vacates the arbitration award and more importantly, how he crafts his order to the parties. Remember, there is what should happen and then there is what will happen. With the NFL and the egos involved there is no telling what will happen.

On Thursday August 13th, New York Jets starting quarterback Geno Smith had his jaw surgically repaired with metal plates. Smith suffered two fractures in his jaw when he was punched in the Jets locker room on Tuesday by reserve linebacker Ikemefuna Enemkpali. On top of being released by the Jets, Enemkpali has the potential for further suspensions, fines, and even legal charges being brought forth against him for his actions inside the locker room.

Thanks to the honorable Richard M. Berman's decision to unseal the filings in the DeflateGate legal saga we have a wealth of information regarding the NFL's policies and it's relationship with the Player's Association. For sports law nerds the controversy has been like Christmas morning wrapped in opening day and stuffed with Selection Sunday - a dream come true. Below is a listing of the most significant documents and legal filings obtained so far.

This morning, after meeting privately with Judge Richard Berman, both the NFL and Tom Brady's legal team took part in a public settlement conference in a Manhattan federal courthouse regarding the two sides ongoing legal dispute over Brady's four-game suspension. There was no shortage of media coverage for event.

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 …

Local governments portray sports subsidies as no-brainer success stories. However, a closer look at the cost of professional sports subsidies on the economic development of communities tells a different story.

Last month, 217 days after placing him on the Commissioner’s exempt list, the NFL came down hard on Greg Hardy, suspending the Dallas Cowboys’ new defensive end without pay for the first 10 games of the 2015 season. What Hardy did was awful, and he probably deserves the 10-games suspension he got. But, it is very likely Hardy’s suspension will be reduced, and the NFL has no one to blame but itself.

The first in a three-part-series on the fan-experience at stadiums across the country examines a disturbing trend of violence at NFL stadiums. The potential liability for teams and stadium owners, let alone the devastating injuries suffered by fans, causes one to question why the NFL, its teams, and the media seem more concerned with PR issues related to violence instigated by players, as opposed to the likely far more widespread fan on fan violence occurring weekly in NFL stadiums.

At a time when local governments are strapped for cash while professional sports leagues collect higher profits than ever, cities and states pour money into stadium development projects and incentives for local sports teams in an effort to attract or retain professional sports in the area. Why do local governments value private, for-profit entertainment so highly, and what makes them so willing to invest millions in it?

The National Football League has been unable to avoid negative media attention since the final whistle of last year’s Super Bowl. So for the sake of symmetry and irony, it’s perfect that the two weeks leading up to Super Bowl XLIX are steeped in controversy. To be honest, I don’t think the NFL, its media partner NBC (which is broadcasting this year’s game), or the advertisers particularly mind. Not that the Super Bowl needs controversy to generate an audience, but it would not surprise me to see this year’s game draw its highest ever TV rating – in part because people want to see how Tom Brady fares with a properly inflated ball.