Hot Topics in Sports Law: What to Expect in 2020

The legal and business landscape for professional and amateur sports continues to experience rapid change. The last year was a dynamic one, involving a myriad of legal issues that may lead to a significant alteration in the collegiate model and more incremental changes in professional sports. Taught by sports law professor Mark Conrad, this 60-minute course will discuss the major sports law issues for the coming year that may lead to critical changes in the field. Highlights include California's law allowing student athletes to monetize their names, likenesses, and images, and the NCAA's response to that law. Other topics will include the increasing number of states legalizing sports betting and the ramifications for leagues and athletes, the rising labor tensions between the Major League Baseball and its Players Association and similarly, between the NFL and its players. In the area of Olympic sports, the seminar will discuss the continuing ramifications of the sexual abuse scandals and the latest litigation. Also covered will be updates on concussion litigation, and challenges to "jock taxes" aimed at athletes.

1. Discuss the ramifications of California's "Pay to Play" law and potential constitutional challenges to that law
2. Analyze whether the NCAA will implement its new policy allowing student athletes to monetize their names and images
3. Review updates to the ongoing the antitrust challenge to limitations on student athlete compensation
4. Predict the prospects for labor unrest in professional sports
5. Interpret the latest rulings involving athlete injuries due to concussions
6. Gauge the reforms coming from cases of sexual and emotional abuse of athletes and the responsibility of governing bodies