Hold Everything: NCAA Seeks To Stay Deferred Payments to Players

On Friday, July 17, the NCAA asked the 9th Circuit Court of Appeals to pause an injunction that allows college athletes to receive deferred compensation for the use of their names, images, and likenesses. Under the injunction, the NCAA must allow for schools to pay football and men’s basketball players up to the federally defined cost of attendance, plus $5,000 per year for use of their names and likenesses, starting on August 1.

The NCAA immediately appealed Judge Claudia Wilken’s ruling, and oral arguments were …

July 21, 2015 Litigation / Music

99 Problems And A Lawsuit’s One: Jay-Z Streaming Companies Sued Over Lil Wayne Tracks

A lawsuit was filed in New York on Thursday by rapper Lil Wayne’s label company Cash Money Records against rapper Jay-Z’s streaming services including Aspiro and WiMP Music, which operates a streaming service known as Tidal. The lawsuit alleges that Defendants wrongfully engaged in the early release of Lil Wayne’s newest album, and that Defendants are hurting CMR’s investments in Lil Wayne.

In CMR’s court filings, it alleges the following of Defendant streaming companies:

[Defendant’s actions] are a desperate and illegal attempt to save their

July 16, 2015 Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / Litigation

Truce: Orostream LLC And World Wrestling Entertainment Inc.’s Legal Battle Ends In A Stipulated Motion For Dismissal

The legal battle between Orostream LLC and World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. came to an end on Wednesday when a Texas federal judge signed off on an order granting a stipulated motion for dismissal that both parties had filed with the court on Tuesday.

Orostream originally filed the suit against WWE, along with various other sports and entertainment companies, alleging that the companies’ mobile content distribution applications infringed on Orostream’s data-transfer U.S. Patent Number 5,828,837. WWE counter-claimed, alleging that claim 37 of U.S. Patent Number 5,828,837 …

July 16, 2015 Litigation / NCAA

Let’s Try That Again: Ex-NCAA Athletes Appeal Publicity Rights Suit to Sixth Circuit

On Monday, July 13, a group of ten former student athletes filed a notice of appeal with the Sixth Circuit regarding their publicity rights’ claims. Ultimately, this effort fits into the much larger battle of whether student athletes should receive compensation for their participation in sporting events.

The former college athletes are disputing U.S. District Judge Kevin Sharp’s dismissal of their claims on grounds that they failed to sufficiently back their arguments that they deserve compensation under Tennessee law. The plaintiffs are seeking to prove …

July 14, 2015 Litigation / NFL

Keeping the Drive Going: NFL Continues to Fight Against Fans’ Bid for Costs

On Friday, July 10, the NFL argued against an attorneys’ fees request by fans who originally sued over seat complaints from Super Bowl XLV. In its reply brief supporting a motion filed in June, the NFL urged U.S. District Judge Barbara M.G. Lynn that the request for more than $83,000 in cost reimbursements should either be denied entirely or reduced by at least 90 percent.

In the brief, the NFL suggested that despite the $75,850 jury award the fans won in March for their …

July 7, 2015 Litigation

CTE Litigaton Continues: WWE Sued On Behalf Of Late Wrestler

A lawsuit was filed on Friday, June 26, on behalf of Matthew Osborne, better known by his WWE alter ego Doink the Clown. Osborne passed away on June 28, 2013 after accidentally overdosing on morphine and hydrocodone. The lawsuit was filed in federal court in Dallas, Texas, alleging that Osborne sustained traumatic head injuries while in the WWE that resulted in depression and drug use, and ultimately lead to his death.

More specifically, the lawsuit alleges the following:

WWE took inadequate steps to correct …

July 1, 2015 Litigation

WWE Grapples With Another Potential CTE Lawsuit, Takes The Offensive

In the face of more potential CTE lawsuits, World Wrestling Entertainment Inc. decided to take action. On Monday, June 30, the organization initiated a federal suit in Connecticut in an attempt to obtain a declaration that certain potential CTE lawsuits should be time-barred by statutes of limitations.

WWE seeks the declarations for cases that may likely be brought against it by Dynamite Kid, Black Jack Mulligan, and other former WWE wrestlers. This comes after the organization received warning letters about said potential claims from …

June 28, 2015 Litigation

A New Elimination Game: ESPN Sued Over Fantasy Sports Game

On Thursday, June 25, Suicide Fantasy Sports LLC filed a lawsuit in a California federal court over alleged patent infringement with respect to one of ESPN’s fantasy sports games. In the complaint, Suicide alleges that ESPN’s “Gridiron Challenge” uses an elimination-based or “suicide” fantasy sports model that infringes on its patent from 2013.

According to the complaint, Suicide reached out to ESPN in 2013 regarding the patent and a potential license. ESPN declined, explaining that it would be discontinuing the elimination part of its game. …

June 27, 2015 Litigation / NFL / TV

Fans Prepare to Sue NFL and DirecTV Over Blackouts

Another class action suit is around the corner for the NFL and DirecTV. Football fan Thomas Abrahamian filed a proposed complaint in a California federal court on Wednesday for a class action suit alleging that the NFL and DirecTV have violated Sherman anti-trust laws.

NFL coverage is currently set up in the form of a ‘blackout coverage’ system. What this means is games will be broadcasted on a regional basis. If a person is outside of a particular game’s ‘broadcast region,’ they will be unable …

June 25, 2015 Litigation / NFL

Battle over Benefits: NFL Denies Claims it Wrongfully Withheld Payments to Retiree

The NFL is currently in the early stages of defending yet another lawsuit in connection with injuries allegedly sustained by a former athlete while playing in the NFL. In this case, Jesse Solomon – former linebacker for the Minnesota Vikings, Dallas Cowboys, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Miami Dolphins – is seeking increased disability benefits for injuries he claims arose out of his time in the NFL.

Solomon claims that he has been denied approximately $100,000 in disability benefits per year due to his retirement plan’s …