October 11, 2019 Contract / Litigation / NFL

St. Louis Stadium Authority Tells Supreme Court: Don’t Further Delay Rams Move Suit

The St. Louis Regional Convention and Sports Complex Authority argued to the U.S. Supreme Court that there is no reason for the court to halt its lawsuit against the Los Angeles Rams and owner Stan Kroenke.

Last week, the Rams and Kroenke asked Supreme Court Justice Neil M. Gorsuch to halt the case while they petition the Supreme Court to intervene. While the St. Louis Authority stated that the Rams and Kroenke may continue to pursue their supreme court petition, they argued that the court …

October 10, 2019 Basketball / NBA

One Tweet Threatens 30 Years of NBA Expansion into China

The controversy began on October 6, 2019, after Daryl Morey, the general manager of the NBA’s Houston Rockets, tweeted about the ongoing pro-democracy protests in Hong Kong, China. Since the 1980s, the NBA has spent millions of dollars investing in Asian markets, including China, hoping to grow the game of basketball. For example, the NBA has helped build basketball courts, given broadcasting rights for free, and played preseason games in China and Japan.

However, Morey’s tweet threatens years of progress and what has otherwise …

October 10, 2019 Basketball / Gambling / Hockey / NBA / NHL / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

Washington D.C. Arena Will Be America’s First Sports Venue with Sportsbook

Capital One Arena, the home of the Washington Wizards and Washington Capitals, is about to become the first major sports venue in the United States to have a sportsbook.

Monumental Sports & Entertainment, owner of the teams and the arena, announced a partnership with sports betting operator William Hill US. The sportsbook will span multiple floors and be accessible to both non-ticketholders and ticketholders for certain events. Expected to open in 2020, the sportsbook will be open year-round and is accessible to the public from …

October 8, 2019 Antitrust / Fantasy Sports / Gambling / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

FanDuel Owner to Become Largest Gambling Company in $6 Billion Deal, Targets U.S. Sports Betting Market

Flutter Entertainment PLC, the owner of Paddy Power and FanDuel, announced a $6 billion deal to purchase The Stars Group Inc. (TSG) and become the world’s largest online gambling company.

Flutter, an Irish gambling conglomerate, owns gambling websites Paddy Power and Betfair, in addition to sports betting websites FanDuel, Sportsbet, and TVG. Meanwhile, Canadian company TSG owns the world’s largest poker website, PokerStars, as well as BetStars and Full Tilt Poker.

The combined value of the companies is approximately $12 billion. Further, the combined …

October 7, 2019 Litigation / NCAA / Sponsorships

Ex-Athlete, Now Congressman, Ready to Suit Up Against the NCAA

On September 30, 2019, it was reported that California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed into law the Fair Pay to Play Act. Previously, we have reported that the bill will allow student-athletes at the 58 member schools within California to receive compensation for the use of their name, image, and likeness.

Within days of Newsom signing California’s Fair Pay to Play Act, U.S. Congressman Anthony Gonzalez, of Ohio, announced his intention to propose a federal bill to give student-athletes the opportunity to benefit from the use …

October 7, 2019 Copyright / Intellectual Property, Copyright, and Trademark / Litigation

Peloton Copyright Infringement Lawsuit Expanded to $300 Million, Includes Over 2,000 Songs

A refreshed complaint against cycling giant, Peloton, by over 30 music publishers was approved by a federal judge, approximately doubling the number of songs and damages claimed.

As we reported earlier, 30 music publishers filed a copyright infringement lawsuit against Peloton in March. The company is known for its high-end stationary bicycles that allow users to stream online spinning classes. The lawsuit alleges that these classes used copyrighted music and that Peloton failed to obtain proper synchronization licenses, which are fees paid to music …

October 4, 2019 Litigation / NCAA / Sponsorships

Pennsylvania and Florida Latest to Introduce Bills to Pay Student-Athletes

The bandwagon keeps rolling — Florida and Pennsylvania have become the latest states to introduce legislation that would allow student-athletes to earn compensation through endorsements and sponsorships. Like the recent bill signed into law in California, which allows student-athletes to receive compensation for the school’s use of their name, image, and likeness, state legislators in Florida and Pennsylvania introduced their own versions of the Fair Pay to Play Act.

On September 30, 2019, Florida state Rep. Kionne McGhee introduced House Bill 251–a bill that would …

October 3, 2019 Fantasy Sports / Gambling / NFL / Sponsorships / Sports Betting / Sports Gambling

NFL Officially Partners With DraftKings for Daily Fantasy

On September 26, 2019, the NFL announced that it has selected DraftKings to be its first official daily fantasy partner. Notably, this partnership deal does not include sports betting.

In a joint statement, the companies stated that their partnership includes “exclusive sponsorship of the daily fantasy sports category with access to NFL branding and more.” NFL Chief Revenue Officer Renie Anderson said, “[d]aily fantasy football has been a tremendous vehicle for fans of all types to deepen their engagement with the NFL.” Over 11 …

October 2, 2019 Baseball / Litigation / MLB

The Death of Tyler Skaggs and Potential Liability of the Los Angeles Angels

On July 1, 2019, Los Angeles Angels starting pitcher, Tyler Skaggs, was found dead in a hotel room in Texas several hours before his team was scheduled to play the Texas Rangers. The police in Southlake, Texas, said they found Skaggs, 27, dead in a room at the team hotel after responding to a call about an unconscious male.

After an autopsy was performed, it was discovered that Skaggs died by choking on vomit after using drugs and alcohol, according to the Tarrant County, Texas …

October 1, 2019 Legislation / NCAA / Sponsorships

California First State to Pay Student-Athletes

On September 30, 2019, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed the Fair Pay to Play Act. Groundbreaking legislation and the first of its kind, this act will allow California student-athletes to earn compensation through endorsements or sponsorships.

As we have continued to report, the legislation – now law – comes on the heels of the heated debate across the country on whether student-athletes should be compensated for their services. California is now the first state in the country to allow student-athletes at the 58 member …

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