Soccer Superstar Lionel Messi Goes on Trial for Alleged Tax Fraud in Spain

In what has become a scandalous recent trend in the world of sports, Lionel Messi has become the latest high-profile soccer superstar to deal with Spain’s tough tax system and its legal enforcement. Messi’s tax trial began earlier this week in Barcelona, but the soccer legend finally had his day in court on Thursday, June 2, 2016.

On the stand Messi reiterated the theme his attorneys have been illustrating over the course of the week — that he had zero knowledge of the financial transactions …

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Video Game Makers Say Tattoo Arguments Not Sketched in Law

On Friday, May 27, 2016, video game companies 2K Games Inc. and Take-Two Interactive Software Inc., the makers of the popular basketball video game series “NBA2K” and its yearly releases, filed a reply memorandum of law in support of its motion to dismiss an ongoing suit in the Southern District of New York against tattoo licensing company Solid Oak Sketches. The filing comes in response to Solid Oak’s brief in opposition filed earlier in May, in which it claimed that it was entitled to statutory …

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Deal or No Deal? DFS Company Wants Sponsorship with NHL Team Void Because DFS is Not Legal

On June 1, 2016, Emil Interactive Games, LLC, the company behind the daily fantasy sports operation “Draft Ops,” filed a memorandum in support of their Motion to Dismiss a breach of contract suit by the NHL’s Minnesota Wild. In asking a Minnesota federal judge to toss the case they assert the fact that daily fantasy sports has become a contentious issue in many states and has come under fire having been banned outright in five states and consequently the contract should be voided.

In its …

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Former NFL Quarterback Vince Ferragamo Fights Back in Trademark Lawsuit Over His Own Name

On May 4, 2016, Italian luxury shoe designer Salvatore Ferragamo SpA filed a trademark infringement lawsuit against former NFL Quarterback Vince Ferragamo and his award-winning Tenuta di Ferragamo vineyard. In its complaint, the fashion company alleges that use of the Ferragamo name is trademark infringement and dilutes their high-end fashion design house’s mark. The fashion company claims that they once sold wine products in Italy in the 1980s, discontinued its production, and then obtained a valid U.S. copyright when they relaunched in the …

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O’Bannon and Former Student-Athletes Continue Pursuit of Supreme Court Review

On May 26, 2016, former NCAA student-athletes, led by former basketball player Ed O’Bannon, filed a reply brief further urging the Supreme Court to review the Ninth Circuit’s reversal of compensation for the NCAA’s use of student-athletes’ image and likeness. The student-athletes’ contend that the NCAA misconstrued Supreme Court precedent to justify using amateurism as an excuse for its anti-competitive rules which violate federal anti-trust law.

This request to the Supreme Court was the result of a recent Ninth Circuit decision which found the NCAA …

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Nationals Want Ugly Legal Battle against Orioles, MASN Over TV Broadcasting Back in Arbitration

On May 27, 2016 the Washington Nationals filed a Memorandum in further support of their motion to compel the Baltimore Orioles and the Mid-Atlantic Sports Network (MASN) to re-arbitrate their broadcast dispute. With their memorandum the Nationals seek a NY State Judge to force re-arbitration before the Revenue Sharing Definitions Committee (RSDC) of Major League Baseball between the Nationals, Orioles, and MASN.

This tireless fight over broadcasting between the two clubs began back in 2005 when the Nationals moved from Montreal to Washington against the …

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Ole Miss Accepts Responsibility for NCAA Violations, Self-Imposes Penalties

On Friday, May 27, 2016, the University of Mississippi (Ole Miss) officially accepted responsibility for NCAA violations involving the college’s football, women’s basketball, and men’s and women’s track and field programs. The violations include recruiting violations, furnishing “impermissible benefits,” such as loaning vehicles to athletes and giving cash to athletes and their families, and awarding fraudulent academic credit to student-athletes. The original NCAA notice sent to Ole Miss included 28 rule violations; 16 rule violations were classified as Level I “severe breach of conduct” offenses.…

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Family of Deceased MLB Player Blames Tobacco Company for Player’s Death

On May 23, 2016, the wife and children of former MLB player Tony Gwynn brought a wrongful death suit against a tobacco company for manipulating Gwynn into an addiction that eventually took his life.

The lawsuit was filed in a California court against Altria Group, Inc., the parent company of Philip Morris USA and U.S. Smokeless Tobacco Company. The complaint alleges that the company got the baseball hall of famer addicted to smokeless tobacco and used him and his addiction as a promotional agent for …

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Baylor University President Resigns Amid Huge Scandal

In the midst of an ongoing sexual assault scandal involving Baylor University’s football team, Ken Starr resigned as Chancellor “as a matter of conscience.” However, Starr will continue to teach at Baylor Law School.

Prior to his appointment at Baylor, Starr was appointed judge to the U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit and served as the United States Solicitor General under former President George H.W. Bush. Starr also authored a report pertaining to former President Bill Clinton’s extramarital involvement …

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Under Armour Remains Aggressive, Lands Record Deal With UCLA

Under Armour inked a record breaking contract with UCLA on Tuesday, May 24, 2016. The deal, considered to be the richest college sports apparel deal in the country, illustrates the Baltimore-based company’s intention to develop regional sales across the country. As part of the announcement, Under Armour said it would be expanding its West Coast retail locations.

Under Armour announced the 15-year, $280 million deal on Twitter, welcoming UCLA to the brand’s family. Under the terms of the deal, Under Armour will be the …

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