Last month the NLRB issued an advice memorandum concerning the Northwestern football handbook, and the team’s unlawful social media rules. A footnote in the memo assumes for the purposes of the memo that Northwestern’s scholarship football players are employees. This memo was one person assuming an employee status in a limited circumstance, not a reversal of last year’s NLRB ruling, and is still miles away from the NLRB declaring student-athletes to be employees.

In a relatively unsurprising decision, the Supreme Court has denied petitions for both the NCAA and Ed O’Bannon in one of the landmark cases for the collegiate model. Overall, while both sides petitioned for cert, this is a pretty favorable result for the NCAA.

United Kingdom citizens voted to leave the European Union. With the prospect of leaving the European Economic Area, as well as losing the freedom of movement for workers within the EU, the Premier League could suddenly be on the outside looking in. British leagues and players could be adversely affected by Brexit without some significant legislative changes within the UK, FIFA, and UEFA.

Following the latest allegations, Baylor University conducted an external review of the institution’s handling of Title IX (and related) issues, which culminated in the release of a very damning report. This Title IX inquiry uncovered flaws in the senior leadership’s actions and Baylor’s student conduct process, and even staff members acting to hinder or discourage reporting acts of sexual assault or dating violence. With apparent involvement from athletics staff members to cover for football players, Baylor could be facing rather significant penalties from the NCAA.

Independent arbitrator James Oldham reversed Commissioner Gary Bettman’s decision and reduced Dennis Wideman’s suspension to ten games, but only after he had already served 19 games of suspension. While any reversal of the league’s disciplinary decision is nominally a win for the NHLPA and the player, the NHL could have come out much worse.

After facing an onslaught of litigation on almost every possible amateurism restriction, the NCAA now faces another lawsuit. The newest suit targets restrictions on Division I Football Bowl Subdivision (FBS) student-athlete transfers and scholarship limits.

Dennis Wideman of the Calgary Flames was suspended for 20 games after what looked like a brutal hit on linesman Don Henderson, but only after taking one himself. The NHLPA is set to appeal on his behalf, an appeal that comes down to whether or not a concussed Wideman met the tenets of Rule 40.2 regarding physical abuse of officials.

After being expelled from this year's Copa del Rey for fielding ineligible player Denis Cheryshev, Real Madrid will likely struggle to win an appeal to overthrow the RFEF decision

Initial eligibility is a good idea in principle that currently faces many flaws. The process is great in hindsight but doesn't allow much time to correct deficiencies, and is especially hard on international prospects. While academic certification is far from perfect for a small number of freshman student-athletes, a few simple changes might make initial eligibility exponentially better.

Yesterday in Belgium, FIFPro, the world football (soccer) players’ union, filed a competition law complaint with the Directorate General Competition of the European Commission against FIFA in an attempt to challenge the movement of players.[i] FIFPro is denouncing the Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) as anti-competitive and illegal, preventing smaller clubs from competing, limiting player rights, and failing the future growth and success of the sport.