Sports Law Links

Each week The Sports Esquires keep track of the sports law headlines so you don’t have to.  This week, Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of murder, San Jose appealed MLB’s antitrust exemption to the Supreme Court, and the NBA announced HGH-testing will begin next season.

NCAA

• Sean Dotson examines the NCAA’s ill-defined role in academic fraud. Are academic bonuses for coaches the answer to academic fraud?
• The number of athletics programs offering additional scholarship assistance to players continues to grow.
• NCAA infractions committee members reportedly received threats after USC investigation documents were released.
• Western Kentucky has suspended its swimming program for five years for hazing, sexual assault, and drug violations.
• ACC commissioner John Swofford discussed conference championship game deregulation.
• Big Ten commissioner Jim Delaney said that the NCAA is a “house of cards” if it cannot demonstrate the importance of educating athletes.

NFL

• Aaron Hernandez was found guilty of first-degree murder. Michael McCann’s analysis of the verdict and what happens next.  Hernandez’s defense team specializes in appeals.
• The NFL has reinstated Adrian Peterson.
• Former NFL running back Lawrence Phillips is suspected of murdering his cellmate in prison.
• Saints owner Tom Benson’s lawyers oppose Renee Benson’s request to move her lawsuit to Texas state court.
• Dez Bryant’s attorney has sent a cease and desist letter to former adviser David Wells in order to end their formal business relationship.

MLB

• San Jose will appeal its suit against MLB to the Supreme Court. The city is asking the Supreme Court to overturn baseball’s 93-year old antitrust exemption.  The full petition for a writ of certiorari is here.
• Nathaniel Grow takes a look at guaranteed contracts in light of Josh Hamilton’s situation. MLB comes out in support of the Angels’ attempt to recoup some of Hamilton’s pay.
• A new journal article examines potential discrimination among MLB umpires.
• Justin Fielkow explains how MLB’s free agency rules will affect Cuban players.

NBA

• The NBA has moved to dismiss Donald Sterling’s lawsuit against the league. The full motion is here.
• The NBA and NBPA have agreed to begin HGH-testing players next season.
• The league has advised teams of the significant salary cap jumps that may occur over the next few years.

Best of the Rest

• Howard Bryant on the MLBPA’s power and the NFLPA’s failings.
• La Liga to FIFA: regulate third party ownership, don’t ban it.
• We took a look at why local governments subsidize sports.
• Meet the attorney trying to cut the jock tax.
• Why the NFL and NCAA weren’t sweating tax day.
• The president of the International Olympic Committee warned the United Nations against “political interference” in the rules of sport.