Judge OKs MLB Antitrust Settlement

On Monday, January 25, 2016, a federal judge gave her approval of a settlement agreement between the MLB and sports fans over territorial blackouts and high prices for out-of-market sports packages.

The suit began four years ago when a group of sports fans sued the MLB, the National Hockey League (NHL), individual clubs, Comcast, and DirecTV. According to the fans, the defendants agreed in the early 1980s to divide up the country into geographic territories so that only one or a few teams could broadcast …

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NHL Reiterates Federal Labor Law Preemption, Argues to Toss Latest Claims of Victims’ Families

On Friday, January 22, 2016, the National Hockey League filed a brief in Minnesota federal court in an attempt to weaken the multidistrict litigation concussion lawsuit against it. In particular, the NHL is seeking the removal of claims filed on behalf of the spouses and families of injured players, arguing federal labor law preempts their loss of consortium and wrongful death actions. In filing the brief, the NHL hopes to dismiss the concussion suit altogether by continuing to reiterate their argument that the suit does …

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NCAA Concussions: Judge Signs Off on NCAA Settlement, Subject to Modifications

On January 26, 2016, U.S. District Judge John Z. Lee granted preliminary approval of the $75 million settlement offered by the NCAA in a concussion litigation brought by a class of current and former student-athletes. However, in approving the settlement, the court added certain modifications, which the NCAA will have to accept in order for the agreement to take effect.

The proposed NCAA settlement included an agreement to contribute $70 million toward a medical-monitoring fund, which would be used to screen current and former student-athletes …

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Former KC Footballers Again Ask Court to Separate Claims

On Monday, January 25, 2016, a group of ex-Kansas City Chiefs renewed their remand bid seeking to get out of Pennsylvania federal court and back to a Missouri venue. The move comes as no surprise, as the players originally sought a transfer out of the multidistrict litigation concussion suit plaguing the NFL nearly two years ago.

In the renewed motion, the players bring focus as to why Missouri state court is a more appropriate forum, arguing that their claims are predicated entirely on state …

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FSU Settles Civil Suit with Winston Accuser

On Monday, January 25, 2016, it was announced that Florida State University had agreed to settle a federal lawsuit against it with former student Erica Kinsman for a purported $950,000.

Kinsman had filed the lawsuit against the school in January 2015 on Title IX grounds, spawning from allegations made by her accusing former FSU and current Tampa Bay Buccaneers starting quarterback Jameis Winston of sexual assault. According to Kinsman’s complaint, Winston raped her while she was in an inebriated state following the two meeting in …

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Former Cornerback Seeks Intervention in NCAA Scholarship Suit

On January 22, 2016, Devin Pugh, former Weber State University cornerback and named plaintiff in a punitive class action suit against the NCAA, filed a motion to intervene into a similar suit brought against the NCAA over the leagues limits on scholarships for Division I athletes.

Pugh filed his motion to intervene and join the proposed antitrust suit brought by John Rock over the NCAA’s “artificial” limits on scholarships offered to athletes who compete in Division I football programs. Rock’s suit is grounded on …

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Pimpin’ and Playin’… “Empire” Accused of Ripping Off Gangster’s Real Story

On Tuesday, January 19, 2016, a California federal judge was asked to dismiss a lawsuit against Twentieth Century Fox Film Company for stealing the idea of its tremendously popular “Empire” show from a real person. The suit was filed by a man named Ron Newt, who describes himself as a former gangster and pimp, and claims that Fox’s show infringes on his memoir, documentary, and screenplay, all of which detail his life in the music industry. The suit seeks $10 million in damages for copyright …

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Things Heat Up in Fitbit Litigation Over Violation of Trade Secrets

Things have certainly heated up recently in the law suit brought by wearable fitness device maker, Jawbone, against Fitbit Inc., alleging that Fitbit poached Jawbone employees and stole trade secrets in order to decimate the company. Jawbone filed a brief in opposition to Fitbit’s request that the ITC find three Jawbone patents ineligible as abstract ideas. The following day, a California court ordered Jawbone to provide Fitbit with computers and other electronically stored information despite Jawbone’s contention that it was not required to submit such …

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Fans Lack Standing in Super Bowl Ticket Suit Against NFL

On January 14, 2016, the Third Circuit held that two New Jersey football fans lacked standing to bring a class action suit against the NFL alleging that the league violated state law by withholding public access to an excessive amount of Super Bowl XLVIII tickets.

The suit alleged that the NFL was in violation of New Jersey’s Consumer Fraud Act by releasing only one percent of Super Bowl XLVIII tickets to be sold to the general public, causing ticket prices to be unreasonably high. One …

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MLB Fans’ Antitrust Suit Settles on Brink of Trial

Tuesday, January 19, 2016  was supposed to mark the beginning of a trial between sports fans and Major League Baseball (MLB) over territorial blackouts and high prices for sports packages. However, just moments before the trial was to begin, the two sides reached a settlement.

The suit began four years ago when a group of sports fans sued the MLB, the National Hockey League (NHL), individual clubs, Comcast, and DirecTV. According to the fans, the defendants agreed in the early 1980s to divide up the …

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