Swoosh: Nike Scores $1 Billion NBA Jersey Deal

The NBA has recently announced an eight-year global merchandising and marketing partnership with Nike, Inc. that will begin with the 2017-18 NBA season. Pursuant to the agreement, Nike will become the official oncourt apparel provider for the NBA. The deal will make Nike the first ever apparel provider to have its logo appear on NBA uniforms.

This comes after German apparel manufacturer Adidas, the NBA’s previous official outfitter, bowed out of the running for the uniform contract. In securing the contract, Nike reportedly beat out …

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Amazon Investigated For E-Book Antitrust Violations

Oh how the tables have turned for retail giant Amazon.com.  Three years ago, Amazon pushed for an antitrust investigation of Apple for e-book price fixing.  Now, however, regulators in the European Union have opened an e-book anti-trust investigation into Amazon.

On June 11, 2015 the European Commission announced that it was formally investigating Amazon’s business practices related to its e-book business.  Of particular focus are Amazon’s contracts with European publishers.  Under the terms of those agreements, publishers are required to inform Amazon if the publishers …

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NCAA Concussions: Conflict Between Plaintiff And Plaintiff’s Attorney Continues

Recently, ex-NCAA football player, Saints wide receiver, and lead plaintiff in NCAA concussion litigation Adrian Arrington claimed that he never agreed to a $75 million proposed concussion settlement that is currently under review by an Illinois federal court judge. He subsequently fired Joseph Siprut, his attorney.

Joseph Siprut fired back on Thursday, stating that Arrington’s claims that he never agreed to the $75 million deal and that he was misinformed were “demonstrably false.” Siprut further explained:

“It is absolutely a false statement that [Arrington]

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Adrian Peterson Suspension: NFL Contends its Actions were Proper Despite Player Union Claims Otherwise

In 2014, Minnesota Vikings running back Adrian Peterson was suspended by the NFL after allegations surfaced that he had been disciplining his 4-year-old son with a wooden switch.

After Peterson’s suspension, the NFL Players Association filed a grievance on Peterson’s behalf against the NFL. The Association claimed that the NFL’s suspension of Peterson was retroactive punishment which is prohibited by NFL’s collective bargaining agreement. The Association contended that the NFL disciplinary policy that was in place at the time the events allegedly occurred dictated that …

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Protecting an Image: Michael Jordan Opposes Proposed Jury Instructions in Appropriation of Likeness Suit

As we’ve mentioned before, Michael Jordan’s appropriation of likeness lawsuit has been allowed to continue.

This all started in 2009, when an advertisement was published in a special edition of Sports Illustrated, which was produced to commemorate Michael Jordan’s induction into the hall of fame. The advertisement was one by Jewel Food Stores, Inc., a Chicago-run supermarket chain, and it congratulated Jordan on his induction.

Now, six years later, the grocer and Michael Jordan are embroiled in a civil lawsuit in which the NBA …

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NCAA Concussions: Unhappy with Proposed Settlement, Player Fires Attorney

Former NCAA football player and Saints wide receiver Adrian Arrington said in a statement on Tuesday that he wants the Illinois federal judge considering a $75 million NCAA concussion settlement, in which Arrington is a lead plaintiff, to reject it. He claims that the first time he learned about the settlement was not from his attorney, but through the media:

“I feel that I have been misinformed and the preliminary settlement doesn’t address the reasons I filed the lawsuit in the first place …

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Worse Than A Penalty Kick: NASL Files Suit Against Oklahoma City Ownership

On Friday, June 5, the North American Soccer League filed suit against Tim McLaughlin, the owner of an Oklahoma City professional soccer franchise, seeking more than $2 million in damages.  This claim arose due to McLaughlin improperly withdrawing from the league, thereby breaching a contract that he signed with the NASL in 2013.

In 2013, negotiations began as to the Oklahoma City soccer franchise’s entry into the NASL, which, according to the complaint, included McLaughlin purchasing an interest in the league and signing a payment …

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Baseball And Broken Bats: Woman Injured At Fenway Park May Have Limited Recovery Rights

A spectator named Tonya Carpenter sustained serious injuries after being struck by a broken piece of a baseball bat at Friday night’s game between the Boston Red Sox and the Oakland Athletics at Fenway Park. Her condition has since been upgraded to fair.

The question however remains: what sort of civil liability will Fenway Park, the Red Sox, and other associated parties face?

Baseball has long been known as America’s pastime, and for spectators, it has always posed some degree of risk. In response to …

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Playing Defense: NFL Objects to Fans’ Request for Attorneys’ Fees

On Friday, June 5, the National Football League objected to a request for more than $83,000 in attorneys’ fees from several fans who originally sued the league over claims from Super Bowl XLV.  The fans had originally brought action claiming that they were displaced from seats or had obstructed views at the game in 2011, and they won a $75,850 jury award in March.

According to attorneys helping with bankruptcies in Oklahoma City, the NFL’s main argument against these attorneys’ fees is that the …

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Trouble Is Brewing: Snoop Dogg Sues Makers Of Colt 45 Malt Beverage Over Contract Dispute

California rap artist Calvin Broadus Jr., better known by his stage name Snoop Dogg, filed a lawsuit on Monday against Pabst Brewing Company. The suit alleges that Pabst failed to follow through on a promotional contract in place with Snoop.

The contract at issue was a three-year agreement that was signed in 2011, by which Snoop Dogg would endorse Colt 45, a malt beverage produced by PBC. The lawsuit further alleges that the contract contained a clause whereby Snoop would receive 10 percent of the …

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