Heitner LegalLast week Patriots fans rejoiced as a federal judge ruled in favor of Patriots quarterback Tom Brady and erased his four-game suspension. It was another blow to the top brass of the National Football League (NFL or League) who have been in hot water for their seemingly less than capable management of player infractions. This […]
This past week, it was reported that Italian soccer player, Mario Balotelli, had his drivers’ license immediately confiscated for going 25 miles over the speed limit in a residential area near his home in Brescia, Italy. While being caught driving over the speed limit may not be cause for extreme concern for some individuals, who […]
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 […]
Unmanned aerial vehicles, better known as drones, have been a hot topic in the news in recent years. More businesses are finding ways to utilize drones to become more efficient and to lower costs while also providing new angles to view the world. No doubt, the sports industry and the broadcasting industry know the benefits […]
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 […]
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 […]