Sports Law Links

Each week The Sports Esquires keep track of the sports law headlines so you don’t have to.  This week’s edition is a Deflategate omnibus – all the case documents and legal analysis surrounding Tom Brady’s suspension appeal.

NFL (Deflategate)

• The Documents: Roger Goodell confirmed Tom Brady’s four game Deflategate suspension. The NFLPA’s statement.  Tom Brady’s statement.  NFL offered Brady a reduction in exchange for admission of guilt.  The NFL preemptively filed suit in New York to confirm the arbitration award.  Brady and the NFLPA filed in Minnesota to vacate the suspension, including a motion and memorandum to seal parts of the record.  Judge Kyle found the Minnesota case duplicative and transferred it to New York where the NFL had filed first.  Back in New York, Judge Berman instructed the parties to chill out and attempt to settle.  Here is the proposed expedited hearing schedule from the NFLPA and Brady.  The Patriots have released emails between the team and the league to “correct misinformation.”  For all the Deflategate court filings and documents, check out our NFL Player Discipline Library.
• The Analysis: Michael McCann: what arguments will Brady and NFLPA put forward in court? No, destroying Brady’s cell phone was not okay.  Will Robert Kraft attack Goodell’s standing as commissioner?  Tom Brady’s phone – how does it impact you?  Sports law experts weigh in on what comes next for Brady.  Three hurdles that Brady and the NFLPA face.  Alan Milstein on why New York may actually be more favorable to Brady.  Daniel Wallach concurs and says Brady has a “Home Field Advantage.”  Stephanie Stradley addresses a range of Deflategate questions.   An interview with George Atallah on union power and why Brady is worth defending.  Sally Jenkins: there are serious due process issues here.  There are risks to both sides in this fight.  Dan Wetzel delves into the email  Our own Justin Fielkow weighs in on the case and how it will affect Brady’s fantasy value.

NCAA

• Ed O’Bannon filed his opposition brief in response to the NCAA’s motion to stay. The NCAA also filed their reply  The Ninth Circuit granted the NCAA’s request to stay the O’Bannon injunction.
• Judge declines to certify class action suit over online photographs of athletes.
• SMU’s Larry Brown faces “lack of coach control” charge from NCAA.
• Here’s the NCAA Notice of Allegations against Donnie Tyndall and Southern Miss for academic fraud.
• The NLRB could render a decision on the Northwestern unionization case by the end of this month.

MLB

• Nathaniel Grow writes on the uncertain scope of baseball’s antitrust exemption.
• In wake of class action suit, MLB considers adding netting for additional fan safety.

Sports Gambling and Fantasy Sports

• Nevada regulators start legal analysis of daily fantasy sports.
• What are the legal ramifications of payment problems of daily fantasy sports sites?

Best of the Rest

• Results of 5,000 athletes’ doping tests have been leaked, revealing the “extraordinary extent of cheating” in major international sporting events. Here’s the IAAF’s statement on the allegations.
• The Olympic bid process will be simplified due to recent concerns over hosting the games.
• NBPA files grievance against the Kings for voiding Luc Mbah a Moute’s contract.
• Stanford economist says that sports stadiums do not generate significant local economic growth, a topic I wrote about here.