Hot Topics in Sports Law: What to Expect in 2019

The legal and business landscape for professional and amateur sports is a dynamic one, displaying a myriad of legal issues that may lead to changes in governance, business models, and statutory law and judicial doctrine. This program will be taught by Mark Conrad, an associate professor of law and ethics at Fordham University’s Gabelli School of Business and director of the sports business concentration. During the course, Mr. Conrad will focus on several major developments in sports law during the last year, the most important of which may be the Supreme Court’s ruling in Murphy v. NCAA, and its aftermath. With the court declaring unconstitutional the quarter-century ban on state sports gambling, a new landscape has been created with at least eight states establishing legalized betting schemes at the end of 2018. The ramifications of the ruling, a comparison of some of the state laws, and issue of integrity and the future role of Congress will be just a few of the issues discussed.

Other subjects to be addressed will be the NCAA governance and the possible change or end of the “amateurism” model, the continuing governance issues among Olympic governing bodies in the wake of the Nasser scandal, the NHL concussion litigation settlement and the continuing issue of right of publicity and athletes (especially important in state that permit gambling and fantasy sports). Time permitting, issues involving recent challenges to franchise relocation will conclude the presentation.

Learning Objectives:

1. Examine the ramifications of the Murphy ruling and the rise of legalized sports gambling
2. Analyze the current series of cases challenging the NCAA’s limitations on student-athlete compensation and continuation of “amateurism”
3. Discuss the future of national Olympic sports governing bodies in the wake of the Nasser scandal
4. Review the settlement of the NHL concussion litigation and why it is so much less than the NFL concussion cases
5. Assess the weakening of athlete right of publicity claims in the wake of the Daniels v. FanDuel ruling by the Indiana Supreme Court
6. Identify antitrust challenges to franchise relocation