Heitner Legal
These days, it’s nearly impossible to watch any sporting event or program without seeing an advertisement for daily fantasy sports. The fantasy and gaming industry has seen enormous growth, and that trend looks to continue as one of the leading DFS providers moves into the new realm of eSports. DraftKings announced that it will be […]
It was recently announced that Massachusetts Attorney General Maura Healey will be reviewing the legality behind DraftKings – the Boston, Massachusetts based daily fantasy sports operator known as one of the leaders behind the ever-evolving daily fantasy sports industry. This review comes on the heels of United States Representative Frank Pallone requesting a committee hearing […]
With the continued growth of athletes and celebrities as role models in addition to the continued importance of intellectual property in their lives, it raises the question of whether they can trademark their names. “Under §2(e)(f) of the Trademark Act, a mark that is primarily a surname [family name] is not registrable on the Principal […]
As expected, this past week the state of New Jersey – along with the New Jersey Thoroughbred Horsemen’s Association – formally filed its request for the Third Circuit Court of Appeals to rehear arguments in the recently decided sports betting case. This Gaming Law issue comes on the heels of the state’s 2-1 defeat in […]
The United States Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit has ruled that cheerleader uniforms are eligible for federal copyright protection. Varsity Brands, Inc., Varsity Spirit Corporation, Varsity Spirit Fashions & Supplies, Inc. sued Star Athletica, LLC alleging five counts of copyright infringement in the United States District Court for the Western District of Tennessee […]
Wilson Sporting Goods Co. has filed a patent infringement lawsuit against Rawlings Sporting Goods Company, Inc. in the Northern District of Illinois. Wilson holds two patents, United States Patent No. 8,460,135 which was issued for game ball cover with improved stripes and/or logos & United States Patent No. 8,905,876 which was issued for a game […]
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. […]
ESports, also known as competitive gaming, has gone from an industry mostly featuring amateurs to an industry with professional players and now even includes the creation and maintenance of professional teams. Professional gamers on teams may receive a salary, tournament prizes and team sponsors sometimes cover travel expenses as well as gaming hardware. On top of […]
Academic misconduct has been become a major issue for the NCAA and it is considering tougher academic integrity policies in light of recent investigations and scandals. In January 2015, the NCAA announced that it was conducting an investigation on 20 schools, 18 of which being Division I, for academic misconduct. The academic misconduct scandal at the […]
One of the most publicized legal issues in Sports Law today deals with athletes’ right to publicity, and the infringement on these rights by companies seeking to capitalize on player names, images, and likenesses. The elements of a Right of Publicity claim vary from state to state, but there is a good deal of overlap […]