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 …
Each week The Sports Esquires keep track of the sports law headlines so you don’t have to. This week’s edition features the NFL again, including the league’s PED investigation, the end of Deflategate, and the Hall of Fame suit. NFL The NFL set a deadline for players named in the Al Jazeera PED report to …
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 …
Part I: The Benefits of Professional Sports in a Community While the NFL and NBA recently agreed to new broadcasting contracts worth more than $35 billion combined,[i] cities and states around the country face complex budget balancing acts to find ways to meet their obligations without exceeding revenue. It’s no secret that U.S. cities and …
As New Englanders ensure they have enough firewood to last for this especially cold winter, many are left wondering if their beloved Red Sox will sign J.D. Martinez or any other power bat to join new manager Alex Cora in the dugout or, instead, will the team that hit the fewest home runs in the …
At the beginning of the season there was a hue and cry about Kris Bryant’s delayed promotion to the Chicago Cubs Major League roster. Bryant and his agent Scott Boras, as well as other players and the union protested the system, which, ironically, the union and players helped create through years of collective bargaining. This …
A garden-variety breach of contract suit quickly became a case with precedent setting potential for the Daily Fantasy Sports (“DFS”) industry when, in a weird twist, one of the leading providers of DFS games asked a federal court in Minnesota to declare its fantasy sports offerings illegal under state and federal law.[i] MINNESOTA WILD VS. …
It’s been a tumultuous few weeks for the “daily fantasy sports” (DFS) industry. Among other things, there has been an investigation into the potential misuse of non-public data by a major DFS company employee;[i] an inquiry into DFS by the New York Attorney General; a “preliminary” probe by the FBI and U.S. Department of Justice …
It finally happened. After beating around the bush for years – including multiple lawsuits against the City of Chicago and the Commission on Chicago Landmarks – a group of owners[i] that operate the rooftop seating clubs on the buildings behind Wrigley Field (the “Rooftop Owners”) sued the Chicago Cubs and chairman Tim Rickets in the …
The end of Tom Brady’s case before Judge Berman is rapidly approaching. That does not mean his case will be over, just that Berman will play less of a central role in it very soon. Barring any unexpected last-minute settlement, both the NFL and NFLPA will be back in Berman’s courtroom on Monday, August 31, …