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Contracts Sports Law

Darren Heitner Quoted On Naming Rights Deals

The University of Florida’s O’Connell Center has brokered its first naming rights deal. The arena will re-open in mid-December 2016 with Exactech as the naming rights sponsor. Kevin Brockway of The Gainesville Sun asked UF and UF Levin College of Law graduate Darren Heitner for commentary on the deal. Naming rights deals on stadiums and arenas serve different […]

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Contracts Trade Secrets

Former Fitness Club Executive Accused of Stealing Trade Secrets

Kyle Bauer has long worked in the fitness industry and recently founded ReNew You, a fitness club in Houston, Texas. But now his former employer, the nationwide fitness chain Life Time Fitness Inc., is coming after him for allegedly misappropriating trade secrets as well as for breach of fiduciary duty, breach of contract, and tortious […]

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Contracts Sports Law Uncategorized

Seattle Seahawks Player Seeks To Represent Himself

Russell Okung, All-Pro left tackle, made news by announcing that he had fired his agent and would be negotiating his next contract without agent representation. Okung is set to become a free agent next offseason and figures to have a long list of suitors including his current team, the Seattle Seahawks. Okung says, “I know my worth. […]

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Business Law Contracts

Pari Passu Clauses And Their Importance In Complex Transactions

While American law is less than 250 years old, some of the expressions used in the U.S. legal system come from a time much older. Latin phrases, such as per stirpes, malum in se, malum prohibitum, and de facto are all still used in American law today. Another such phrase, pari passu, is used as […]

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Contracts Sports Law

How Bucking The Trend Of Handshake Deals Can Improve The Equestrian Sport Industry

Transactions in the equine industry often involve animals worth thousands, if not hundreds of thousands of dollars. These transactions get especially daunting in the world of equine sports; the average selling price of a horse at the Keeneland September Yearling Sale – the nation’s premiere Thoroughbred auction – was $130,780, with 18 yearlings selling for $1 […]

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Contracts Entertainment

HEITNER LEGAL Assists With Moves Magazine Kick-Off Party In Scottsdale, AZ

HEITNER LEGAL was honored to be retained by Moves Magazine to assist with the negotiation of contracts surrounding the event described below.  Successfully negotiated contracts were entered into with the venue as well as live performers The Ting Tings and DJ Grandmaster Flash. Moves magazine announced today that Grammy-nominated pop rockers The Ting Tings will perform […]

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Contracts Sports Law

HEITNER LEGAL Helps Jon Jones Score DraftKings Partnership

DraftKings, Inc., the largest U.S.-based destination for daily fantasy sports, today unveiled Daily Fantasy MMA, the biggest daily fantasy contest for mixed martial arts. The company also announced an exclusive marketing partnership with light heavyweight champion Jon “Bones” Jones. To celebrate the launch, DraftKings is offering its players a chance to win a once-in-a-lifetime experience […]

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Contracts Sports Law

Morals Clauses: Who’s The Judge?

Companies take on an extreme amount of risk when contracting with professional athletes and/or celebrities to endorse their products. As soon as both sides are able to come to a mutual understanding regarding the terms and conditions that will be contained in the agreement, the athlete immediately becomes a spokesperson serving as one of the […]

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Contracts Sports Law

Cole Seely Signs With American Honda

American Honda Motor Corp., Inc. announced that it has signed Cole Seely to its factory supercross/motocross team with a multiyear contract. As a member of the Troy Lee Designs Honda satellite squad, Seely this year finished a close second in the AMA Supercross series 250 West title chase and also performed well during three appearances […]

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Contracts Sports Law

Is An NBA Labor Dispute On The Horizon?

The National Basketball Association’s (NBA) collective bargaining agreement (CBA) is the contract between the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA) and the NBA Board of Governors (the commissioner and all thirty owners) that sets out the litany of regulations by which the league operates. The CBA outlines the rules for, among other things, player contracts, trades among […]

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Contracts Headline Sports Law

How Much Should Jimmy Graham Cash-in?

Compare the following stats: Player A: 84 receptions, 1,492 yards, 17.8 avg. yards/catch, 12 TDs Player B: 86 receptions, 1,215 yards, 14.1 avg. yards/catch, 16 TDs Player C: 52 receptions, 850 yards, 16.3 avg. yards/catch 13 TDs If you guessed that Player A and Player B were two of the top receivers for the 2013 […]

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Contracts Headline Sports Law

Bradley University’s Legal Battle Against Jim Les

Bradley University may once again find itself as a named defendant in a case involving its basketball program.  Approximately 2 months ago, I wrote about Kent State’s lawsuit against men’s basketball coach Geno Ford based on Ford’s refusal to pay Kent State $1.2 million the school believes it is owed according to Ford’s buyout clause in his former […]