Tag Archives: CBA

As usual, NFL scandals dominate the sports law world. But don’t miss the fascinating soccer stories and in-depth coverage of match-fixing issues in this week’s edition of Sports Law Links.

Our first year of bringing you in depth analysis of the top sports law stories is officially behind us. There were a lot of intriguing issues that came up throughout the year, but these were the most popular among our readers:

Once again we’ve got you covered for your holiday sports law reading. All of us here at The Sports Esquires wish you a happy New Year. Don’t forget to subscribe to get the Sports Law Links as a weekly newsletter in your inbox in 2015.

From Adrian Peterson’s appeal to match-fixing in soccer and the host of issues facing the NCAA, we’ve got you covered on the biggest stories in sports law with this week’s Sports Law Links.

Each week, the Sports Esquires round up the top stories to keep you informed about the world of sports law. Here’s what happened last week in the world of sports law:

An explanation of how Yoenis Cespedes is getting out of the last two years of team control under the Reserve System

How this appeal plays out will have a big impact on the upcoming revamped NFL Personal Conduct Policy. In fact, the appeal has already impacted how the NFL handles disciplining players for off-field misconduct. Adrian Peterson and Greg Hardy were placed on the Commissioner’s Exemption List and likely told that such action does not constitute final discipline. Had the NFL done otherwise, it would be prevented from imposing further discipline in the form of fines or suspensions once the criminal cases are finalized.

Here’s the thing about the Peterson situation: the only place he’s been convicted is in the Court of Public Opinion. In its rush to serve up its own form of vigilante pseudo-justice in the wake of intense media and public scrutiny, the Vikings and the NFL seem to have forgotten one of the basic tenets of the legal system: it’s better to be right, than first.

What is the Commissioner's Exemption List? Why have you never heard of it before? Why is it being used to distance the NFL from player's accused of domestic violence?

Much has been written about the indefinite suspension of Ray Rice, including calls for Roger Goodell to resign or be fired. But few if any articles have taken the time to explain what exactly happened and what could happen from a legal standpoint. The vast majority of the conversation about the suspension has focused on righteous finger-wagging at the NFL, Roger Goodell, and the Ravens. While each of those parties deserves their fair share of scorn, there is an opportunity to learn, grow and move forward that is being missed.