Second Lawsuit Filed in St. Louis Stadium Fight

There’s a new update to a story out of St. Louis we covered back in April.

Late last month, a second lawsuit was filed in Cole County, Missouri seeking a declaratory judgment and writ of prohibition that Governor Jay Nixon and his appointed Task Force’s proposed funding of their $985 million stadium in St. Louis is illegal. The suit is brought by six state legislators and on behalf of Missouri Taxpayers and names Governor Nixon and the Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority (RSA) …

May 27, 2015 NFL

New Suit by Retirees Alleges NFL was Pushing Pain Pills

Yet another suit was filed against the NFL by former players on Thursday May 21. This time, the retired players are accusing all 32 NFL teams of intentionally providing players will painkillers and pushing the players to use them. This suit repeats some of the allegations in a suit filed in May 2014, which was ultimately dismissed because of the collective bargaining agreement.

The new suit names each of the NFL teams as a defendant and 13 retired players as plaintiffs. It is, however, brought …

May 26, 2015 NFL

8th Circuit Affirms NFL Player Publicity Settlement

On Thursday May 21, the U.S. Court of Appeals for the Eight Circuit affirmed a 2013 settlement between NFL retirees and the NFL. A group of former players brought suit against the NFL seeking to be compensated for the use of their images.

The $50 million settlement received final approval of a Minnesota federal judge in November 2013, despite the objection of 19 players. Some of those players appealed and echoed their contentions that the settlement was unfair to the Eighth Circuit. Their main argument …

May 19, 2015 Concussions / NFL

NFL Concussion Settlement Appealed; Benefits Delayed Again

The long-awaited settlement between the National Football League and its former players suffering from concussion-related injuries will be further delayed as one player and his wife filed an appeal of the agreed upon and judge-approved settlement on Wednesday, May 13.

The settlement, having gone through several negotiations and a prior rejection by Judge Anita Brody, addressed the court’s concerns on monetary limit and was finally approved on April 22. The latest settlement relieves the $675 million cap the NFL set on its contribution to …

May 18, 2015 Litigation / NFL

Brady Suspended 4 Games for Role in Deflategate and Obstructing the Investigation

On Monday, May 11, the National Football League punished Tom Brady and the New England Patriots for their roles in the “Deflate Gate” scandal and its subsequent investigation.

Relying on the importance of protecting the integrity of the game, the NFL suspended Brady without pay for the first four games for the 2015-2016 season, fined the team one million dollars, and stripped the team of their 2016 first round draft pick and 2017 fourth round draft pick.

The punishments come only 5 days after the …

May 14, 2015 NFL

Deflate-gate Findings Could Mean Discipline for Patriots and Brady

On Wednesday, May 6, independent investigator Ted Wells released the findings of his investigation into the “Deflate-gate” scandal, reporting that “it is more probable than not” that Patriots personnel intentionally violated the rules.

During the AFC title game, 11 of the 12 footballs supplied and used by the New England Patriots were tested and found to be under-inflated beyond the league required 12 .5 psi. When this information was released to the public the following day, accusations and conspiracy theories began to fly. Many of …

May 5, 2015 Contract / NFL

Jay-Z’s Roc Nation Sued by Official Brands over “ThrowUpTheX” Business

Official Brands, a sports marketing firm that helped to build Dallas Cowboys receiver Dez Bryant’s “ThrowUpTheX” brand, filed a lawsuit against Roc Nation, alleging that Roc Nation poached the representation of Bryant from it.

According to the court documents filed, Official Brands alleged Bryant requested the company’s vice president, Ryan Toka, to manage his off-field interests that resulted in the two-year contract Bryant signed with Official Brands in 2014.

Official Brands claimed that under the agreement it provided “unprecedented services” to build “ThrowUpTheX,” including handling …

April 27, 2015 Concussions / Litigation / NFL

NFL Concussion Settlement Likely to be Appealed for Failing CTE Victims

The estate of former Chicago Bears safety, expressed an intention to appeal the approval of the most recent settlement between the NFL and retired players over the concussion litigation, which looks to pay out almost $1 billion in compensation.

Wednesday’s settlement provides the greatest amount of relief any of the prior settlements have offered, lifting the $765 million cap that once restricted the amount the NFL would pay out. Under the settlement, players would receive compensation in varying amounts for varying diseases; a diagnosis …

April 23, 2015 Concussions / Litigation / NFL

NFL & Former Players Reach Settlement Again; Judge Approves

On Wednesday, April 22, Federal Judge Anita Brody approved what may become the long-awaited final settlement between the massive class of ex-NFL players and the NFL in their concussion litigation.

The lawsuit, an aggregation of hundreds of ex-players’ complaints, began three and a half years ago claiming the NFL failed to address and warn of the dangers of head trauma. Former players and their families suffering from life with debilitating neurological damage sought medical help from the NFL. After a few rejections of proposed settlements, …

April 21, 2015 Litigation / NFL

Jameis Winston, One of 2015 NFL Top Picks, in Civil Suit for Rape

In the lawsuit filed in a Florida state court in Orlando, Erica Kinsman accused Winston of assault, false imprisonment, sexual battery, and intentional infliction of emotional distress. Through her attorneys David King, Baine Kerr, and John Clune, Kinsman is demanding more than $15,000 as well as “the right to seek leave as to her entitlement to punitive damages.”

Specifically, the suit alleged that Winston’s “conduct was extreme and outrageous and caused Plaintiff to suffer severe mental anguish and suffering, including, more specifically, loss of sleep, …