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 features the latest on the college athlete unionization movement, the NFL’s domestic violence policies in light of Josh Brown’s suspension, and more on the DFS industry and Ryan Lochte case.

NFL

• Blake Yagman: could the NFL increase Josh Brown’s suspension? Jane McManus: the NFL is finding out just how complicated domestic violence punishments can be.
• The Jason Pierre-Paul invasion-of-privacy lawsuit could cost ESPN millions. Michael McCann’s analysis.
• No new evidence revealed in NFL’s PED interviews.
• The Oakland Raiders have filed trademark applications for “Las Vegas Raiders.”
• Here’s the amended Hall of Fame Game lawsuit against the NFL.
• Anyone can now take UNH Professor Michael McCann’s Deflategate course online for $139.

NCAA

• Justin Sievert explains why the NLRB’s most recent employee decision doesn’t apply to college athletes, even though it seems like it should. But, Marc Edelman says the decision may help college athletes unionize eventually.
• Marc Edelman has a new paper on what’s next for college athlete players unions.
• The NCAA’s Ole Miss investigation expands beyond Laremy Tunsil.
• Michael Carrier’s thoughts on suffering college athletes and a thriving NCAA.
• NCAA argues financial aid suit should not receive class action suit.

MLB

• MLB scores an important victory in fan safety lawsuit.
• The Orioles and MASN have filed an appellate brief outlining MLB’s systemic bias.
• In baseball’s shadows: the backdrop to the minor league wage suit.
• Red Sox caught in MLB’s Latin America crackdown.

Sports Gambling and Fantasy Sports

• Read Don Van Natta’s feature-length investigation of the DFS industry. Despite internal problems, the DFS industry is still going strong.  Yes, the DFS industry has had a bad run, but it’s still surviving.

The Olympics

• Turns out the Rio police never questioned Ryan Lochte or other U.S. swimmers about alleged vandalism in Rio. Poynter: How USAToday unraveled Lochte’s Rio drama.
• Alexandra Roberts discusses whether the USOC was a trademark bully.

Soccer

• USWNT suspends Hope Solo for six months after comments on Sweden loss, and terminates her national team contract. Legal analysts: no hope for Solo’s speech claims in suspension fight.

Best of the Rest

• The NHL seeks summary judgment in its Dennis Wideman lawsuit.
• Phil Mickelson’s insider-trading case isn’t over yet.
• David McArdles examines athlete image rights in Europe.
• The latest issue of the Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport is out.