Perspectives on Sports

Partner Rich Brand, leader of the Sports practice, was interviewed by CBS Radio in San Francisco to discuss the implications of a federal judge’s order to revoke the Washington Redskins trademark.

The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) recently obtained a temporary injunction to stop a Florida-based sweepstakes operation that has taken more than $28 million from consumers in the United States and abroad.

The FBI and United States Justice Department announced a joint investigation into the front-office of the St. Louis Cardinals, one of baseball’s top teams for the last two decades, for allegedly hacking into the internal networks of rival Houston Astros to steal proprietary player information.

Arent Fox LLP is pleased to announce that leading global referral guide Legal 500 has named its Sports group as the “Sports Practice of the Year” and recognized two partners as top lawyers in their field.

Technological advances make it easier than ever to purchase tickets for live sporting events via secondary ticket exchange. These advances create intense competition in the secondary ticket exchange business, as companies seek to capture revenue from fees.

President Barack Obama recently released his budget proposal for Fiscal Year 2016, and municipalities, sports franchises, and owners of sports and entertainment facilities across the country will pay special attention to one line in particular.

On December 30, 2014, Michigan Governor Rick Snyder (R), signed Public Law 414 into law, which excludes college athletes from the definition of “public employees” who are entitled to collectively bargain in Michigan.

Arent Fox Sports partner Richard L. Brand was quoted by The Baltimore Sun in an article about  television rights fees involving the Baltimore Orioles and the Washington Nationals.

On August 8, 2014, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I Board of Directors (the Board), in a groundbreaking measure, voted 16–2 to grant the so-called “Power Five” conferences significantly expanded autonomy in how those conferences govern themselves.

In a landmark ruling for college athletes, US District Judge Claudia Wilken ruled that the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) cannot stop players from selling the rights to their names, images, and likenesses to the schools that they attend.

Arent Fox LLP served as outside counsel for the Brooklyn Nets in connection with the team’s new multi-million dollar training facility.

TTAB cancelled six Washington Redskins registrations after finding they violated Section 2(a) of the Federal Lanham Act.

Chambers USA recognized 31 Arent Fox LLP attorneys as leaders in their field.

Arent Fox Sports leader Richard L. Brand spoke with Law360 for a feature on the affect large sports media deals are having on the broader marketplace for mergers and acquisitions.

Football fans get a chance to invest in player brands.

It is unlikely that any ruling by a Regional Director of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) has ever sparked such nationwide commentary as that of Region 13 Regional Director Peter Sung Ohr in ruling that Northwestern University scholarship football players are “employees” of the University.

“Northwestern believes strongly that our student-athletes are not employees, but students. Unionization and collective bargaining are not the appropriate methods to address the concerns raised by student-athletes.”

On Thursday, February 20, a critical hearing took place in the college student-athletes’ class action antitrust lawsuit against the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA).

Arent Fox Sports partner Rich Brand and Corporate & Securities associate Charlyn Ho wrote an article published in Law360 that outlines the legal issues surrounding Fantex Inc., a company that allows investors to buy and sell interests in professional athletes.

Frederick E. Bouchat has once again alleged copyright infringement against the Baltimore Ravens and the National Football League (NFL) over the Ravens’ “Flying B Logo” from the mid-1990s.

On January 28, 2014, the National College Players Association (NCPA) filed a petition at the regional office of the National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) in Chicago, seeking recognition as a labor union. The petition is the first of its kind seeking union recognition for college athletes.

Good News For Investors: Fantex Unplugged By Injuries To Foster And Davis

Counsel Maidie E. Oliveau was featured in a National Law Journal article that highlighted her efforts to help Los Angeles gear up for the Special Olympics World Games, the city’s biggest sports event in decades.

Counsel Maidie E. Oliveau was quoted in a CNET News article on Aereo’s Supreme Court battle that could affect how the entire country watches television.