It’s All About the Benjamins: Ex-Kansas Head Coach’s Breach of Contract Suit

David Beaty, former head coach of the Kansas University (KU) Jayhawks football team, has filed a breach of contract lawsuit against the university. KU hired Beaty in December 2012, where he initially  received an annual salary of $800,000 on a five-year contract. Following the 2016 season, Beaty received a two-year extension with a $1.8 million annual salary. The contract stipulated a payout, worth approximately $3 million, if KU terminated Beaty without cause. Notably, the payout was not linked to Beaty’s salary. In 2018, KU hired…
Continue reading...

Game On: FaZe Clan’s $20 Million Lawsuit Against eSports Gamer Will Continue

A federal judge will allow a $20 million contract lawsuit filed by FaZe Clan Inc. against a popular eSports star to proceed. In May 2019, Fortnite player and social media celebrity, Turner Tenney, known to fans as “Tfue,” sued FaZe Clan, a popular eSports organization, in California state court. Tenney alleged that FaZe lured him and other gamers into “grossly oppressive, onerous and one-sided” contracts, allowing FaZe to make millions while Tenney earned a mere $60,000. He also filed a complaint with the California Labor…
Continue reading...

CBS Interactive Inc. Sued for Trademark Infringement

On July 13, 2018, Fulltime Fantasy Sports, LLC (Fulltime) sued CBS Interactive Inc. (CBSi) for trademark infringement, false advertising, breach of contract, conversion, unlawful and deceptive practices, and unfair competition. According to the complaint, “[a]s fantasy football season approaches, Fulltime has been forced to file this action to seek relief from the Court’s so that CBSi will stop misappropriating Fulltime’s intellectual property and good will, stop confusing consumers, and pay Fulltime what it is owed.” Fulltime, founded in 2011, “provided premier fantasy sports content,…
Continue reading...

Worse Than A Penalty Kick: NASL Files Suit Against Oklahoma City Ownership

On Friday, June 5, the North American Soccer League filed suit against Tim McLaughlin, the owner of an Oklahoma City professional soccer franchise, seeking more than $2 million in damages.  This claim arose due to McLaughlin improperly withdrawing from the league, thereby breaching a contract that he signed with the NASL in 2013. In 2013, negotiations began as to the Oklahoma City soccer franchise’s entry into the NASL, which, according to the complaint, included McLaughlin purchasing an interest in the league and signing a payment…
Continue reading...

Playing Defense: NFL Objects to Fans’ Request for Attorneys’ Fees

On Friday, June 5, the National Football League objected to a request for more than $83,000 in attorneys’ fees from several fans who originally sued the league over claims from Super Bowl XLV.  The fans had originally brought action claiming that they were displaced from seats or had obstructed views at the game in 2011, and they won a $75,850 jury award in March. The NFL’s main argument against these attorneys’ fees is that the fans ultimately failed in their attempt to certify a class,…
Continue reading...

Lawsuit Claims Binghamton Mets Agreed to Sale

Main Street Baseball LLC, a baseball team ownership group from Delaware, filed a lawsuit in the Federal Court for the Northern District of New York against the Binghamton Mets claiming breach of contract to sell the team. Main Street Baseball alleges that Binghamton Mets President, Mike Urda, has been trying to sell the team for the past four years and has been negotiating a sale with the Delaware group since last August.  The two parties allegedly negotiated potential sale of the team over the winter…
Continue reading...

NFL Owes $75,000 in Super Bowl Seating Suit; Witness Tampering Questions Remain

On Thursday, March 12, the NFL was found guilty of breaching its contracts with seven fans who purchased tickets to Super Bowl XLV back in 2011 and is ordered to pay those fans $75,000. The seven fans brought this lawsuit against the NFL after they were denied the seats they purchased tickets to at the Super Bowl in Arlington, Texas.  Only a few hours before game time, the local fire marshal determined the seats unsafe, and the NFL had to scurry to supply new seats. …
Continue reading...

Sports Litigation Case Law Update February 2015

This month’s sports litigation case law update demonstrates how sports can touch a broad variety of areas of law, from environmental challenges to medical malpractice to contract claims to constitutional due process.  The common thread this month – defendants went undefeated.   Sacramento’s Downtown Arena Project Withstands Challenge Under the California Environmental Quality Act  Saltonstall v. City of Sacramento, 2015 WL 708608 (Cal. Ct. of App., Feb. 18, 2015) The California state appellate court faced a challenge under the California Environmental Quality Act to…
Continue reading...

Lil Wayne Seeks $51 Million from Cash Money Label

On Wednesday, January 28, long-time rapper Lil Wayne filed a lawsuit in NY federal court claiming his label, Cash Money Records, owes him $51 million. Lil Wayne signed with the label back in 1998 and has been happy with them until 4 years ago. In the past, Lil Wayne has looked to Cash Money head, Bryan “Birdman” Williams, as a type of father, however, the latest album delay seems to have finished off a deteriorating relationship.  Wayne took to Twitter last month, feeling like…
Continue reading...

Oklahoma State Sues Former O-Line Coach for Breach of Contract

Oklahoma State is suing its former offensive line coach, Joe Wickline, for damages resulting from a breach of contract caused by Wickline’s new job with the Texas Longhorns. Last Friday, the suit was filed in district court alleging the parties entered into a contract requiring Wickline to pay a buy-out fee if he ever left the OK State for a position at another bowl division team that didn’t contain play calling duties.  In January, Wickline was hired by Texas as offensive coordinator and offensive…
Continue reading...