A California federal court was hit with two motions to dismiss Monday, November 10, 2015, arguing that a monkey does not have standing to sue in a United States courtroom. This case relates to the famous “Monkey Selfie” photo that went viral a few years ago (which has already seen its fair share of litigation to date). Yet, it is not a person arguing that they have copyright protection over the photograph this time — rather, it is the monkey’s rights that have allegedly been …
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New York Shuts the Book on Daily Fantasy Sports: AG Schneiderman Rules Activities of DraftKings, FanDuel Illegal
Forget to set your daily fantasy sports lineup in New York? This will no longer be a problem for you.
Following the September 2015 daily fantasy sports (DFS) scandal, both state and federal authorities began investigating the business operations of industry leaders DraftKings, Inc. and FanDuel, Inc. The scandal stems from the acts of a DraftKings employee, Ethan Haskell, who used inside data to win $350,000 on FanDuel’s website.
New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman initiated an investigation into the business operations of DraftKings and …
Continue ReadingTaylor Swift Shakes Off Lawsuit with Settlement
Taylor Swift appears to be out of the woods as she has reached a settlement to resolve a trademark infringement lawsuit filed by clothing brand “Lucky 13” last year.
The bad blood started in May 2014 when Lucky 13 filed its complaint alleging that Taylor Swift and her affiliated companies, such as Taylor Nation LLC and Taylor Swift Productions, Inc., infringed on the registered trademark “Lucky 13.” According to the complaint, Taylor Swift, who claims her lucky number is 13, began using “Lucky 13” to …
Continue ReadingUS Youth Soccer to Undergo Sweeping Rule Changes in Lieu of Concussion Litigation
This past Monday, November 9, 2015, the US Soccer Federation, one of the governing bodies of youth soccer leagues across the nation, announced a new safety initiative it intends to put into play to help combat concussions and related injuries among America’s younger players. The announcement comes as a final step in a long, drawn out legal battle by concerned parents to limit the potential risks children face playing one of the more popular youth sports.
US Soccer Federation made the announcement Monday in response …
Continue ReadingStubHub Antitrust Suit Dismissed
The Golden State Warriors, the NBA’s reigning champions, won another victory last week, this time in the courtroom. On Thursday, November 5, 2015, a federal judge dismissed StubHub’s antitrust action against the Warriors and Ticketmaster.
StubHub filed suit in April, alleging that the Warriors violated the Sherman Antitrust Act by restricting the resale of season tickets to Ticketmaster’s platform. The complaint alleged that the Warriors threatened to revoke ticket privileges, deny first bid at playoff tickets, and refusal to invite ticket holders back next …
Continue ReadingWho’s Next? Patent Holder Targets NFL in Latest Lawsuit
Virtual Gaming Technologies LLC (VGT) is no stranger to filing infringement suits against fantasy sports operators. This week, the patent holder has filed lawsuits against FanDuel, DraftKings, Fox Sports, ESPN, Draftpot, and DraftDay. On November 5, 2015, the company targeted a new defendant—the National Football League.
In its complaint, filed in the Eastern District of Texas, the company alleges that the NFL Interactive Gaming Platform infringes upon its patents which similarly offer live scoring in relation to player performance. The plaintiff patent holder …
Continue ReadingFormer Weber State Cornerback Files Antitrust Class Action Against NCAA
On November 5, 2015, a class action was filed against the NCAA in Indiana federal court. The NCAA, which has been the target of several lawsuits over student-athlete compensation restrictions, is now being attacked for anti-competitive transfer regulations.
Devin Pugh, named plaintiff and former Weber State cornerback, challenges the NCAA’s year-in-residence requirement and seeks to abolish scholarship caps. The NCAA’s current residency restrictions require student-athletes to take one season off when transferring between top-level schools. In the complaint, Pugh urges that the “NCAA’s limitation on …
Continue ReadingFirst Amendment Law Professors Back Redskins’ Argument on Appeal
On October 29, 2015, a notable group of First Amendment law professors filed an amicus brief with the Fourth Circuit, supporting the Redskins’ argument that Section 2(a) of the Lanham Act is in violation of the First Amendment.
The case, Pro-Football, Inc. v. Blackhorse, is currently pending in the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals where the Redskins have been fighting to reclaim their trademarks that were cancelled by the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) last year. The PTO’s revocation of the marks, which …
Continue ReadingBill Cosby to be Deposed in Defamation Lawsuit
Janice Dickinson, former supermodel and judge on “America’s Next Top Model,” told Entertainment Tonight (ET) in a November 2014 interview that Bill Cosby drugged and raped her in 1982. Cosby’s ex-attorney Marty Singer immediately fired back, calling Dickinson’s story “a fabricated lie” that is a “complete contradiction” from her earlier accounts of interactions with Cosby. The result of the back and forth is a defamation lawsuit brought by Dickinson against Cosby in the Los Angeles County Superior Court. The presiding judge— Judge Debre Katz Weintraub …
Continue ReadingDolphins Put in Bid For up to $90M In Tax Rebates Under Florida’s Sports Development Program
The Miami Dolphins along with the Jacksonville Jaguars, Tampa Bay Buccaneers, and Daytona Speedway, have filed applications under Florida’s Sports Development Program to recover millions each year in state tax revenue. The program, established in 2014, allows the state to distribute up to $13 million of tax revenue each year to assist in the renovation of qualified professional sports facilities in the state of Florida. In order to receive disbursements under the program, professional sports organizations must submit a proposal to the Florida Department of …
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