Sports Law Links

Each week The Sports Esquires keep track of the sports law headlines so you don’t have to.  Just in time for spring training, baseball has dominated the news this week with the Cubs’ lawsuit and antitrust issues.  The Hernandez trial continues, as do the MLS labor negotiations.  Don’t forget to subscribe to get the links as a weekly email in your inbox.

Baseball

• Justin Fielkow weighs in on the Fight at the Friendly Confines. The Cubs have called the rooftop owners’ lawsuit “extraordinary” and “drastic.”  The rooftop owners’ brief in support of a TRO.  Judge Kendall denied the request for the TRO (full opinion here).  The Cubs’ opposition to the rooftop owners’ motion for preliminary injunction.
• The latest in the minor league wage lawsuit against MLB. Did the judge hint at a split ruling?  Minor leaguers are also asking Congress to amend the FLSA.
• It’s time for the Supreme Court to revisit baseball’s antitrust exemption.
• More on the Ninth Circuit’s decision in the San Jose antitrust case.
• How Arizona’s tax laws save baseball players millions.
• Nathaniel Grow imagines a MLB concussion lawsuit.
• Alex Rodriguez sued again over legal fees.

NFL

• Michael McCann continues his updates from the Aaron Hernandez trial: Day 9, Day 10, Day 11, and Day 12. Where are the shoes?
• How Nate Allen highlights the perils of the league’s new personal conduct policy. How will the NFL deal with Greg Hardy’s situation?
• Deflategate continues: the NFL fires an employee for selling the footballs. More from the Outside the Lines report on the ongoing investigation.
• The American Needle suit is poised for a settlement a decade later.
• An inside look at sideline concussion tests.

NCAA

• The gender discrimination lawsuit that could change college sports forever.
• The civil case against Florida State and its effect on Jameis Winston.
• The Big Ten considers freshmen ineligibility.
• The new book Cheated sheds light on academic fraud in athletics. Meanwhile, the UNC fraud investigation process continues.

Soccer

• Inside the MLS CBA negotiations: players have resolve, if not the upper hand.
• FIFA’s statement on the investigation into the 2018 and 2022 World Cup bidding processes.
• Tottenham found liable for a player’s brain damage.
• Grant Wahl provides updates on the World Cup’s date change and MLS labor talks.

Sports Betting

• Daniel Wallach: it’s déjà vu all over again for the New Jersey sports betting case.
• Betting cheats booted from the Cricket World Cup.

Best of the Rest

• Catalyzing fans: proposing the development of Fan Action Committees (FACs).
• Claudia Pechstein and the Court of Arbitration for Sport on trial.
• How do morality clauses affect the rights of athletes down under?
• The IAAF answers questions on anti-doping issues.
• UFC’s new plans for drug testing and doping discipline.
• Asser reviews athlete sanctions for unauthorized participation in events.