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New Lawsuit Addresses Eligibility Concerns for US Collegiate Athletes

It has been over two years since the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) lifted its prohibition on college athletes being able to profit from their name, image, and likeness (“NIL”). When people traditionally think of NIL, they think of student athletes at the collegiate level receiving payment for their likeness. However, collegiate athletes are not … Continue Reading

Women’s Sports on the Rise

The 2023 NCAA Division I Women’s Basketball national championship averaged 9.9 million viewers, becoming the most-watched women’s college basketball game and ESPN platforms’ most-viewed college basketball game (men’s or women’s) on record, and it was not even playing in a prime-time slot. This shows a tidal shift in the interest and growing opportunity in women’s sports, and … Continue Reading

On-field Negligence in Sport: The English High Court rules in Czernuszka v King

On 23 February 2023, the English High Court ruled that amateur rugby player Natasha King had been negligent when she executed a “tackle” on opponent Dani Czernuszka “without any regard for the well-being or safety of the [latter] and intent only on exacting revenge” during a women’s developmental match.[1]  As such, Ms King (the Defendant) … Continue Reading

How Schools and Private Entities Have Engaged in NIL Activity

Now that a regulatory framework is in place, either by way of the NCAA’s interim policy or through the various state laws discussed in the second iteration of this blog series, academic institutions and private entities, such as alumni and companies, have quickly engaged in the NIL space. This final post of our three-part blog … Continue Reading

How US Federal and State Legislatures Have Addressed NIL

As discussed in part one of this blog series, the landmark decision by the United States Supreme Court in the Alston case effectively paved the way for collegiate athletes to profit from their own name, image, and likeness (“NIL”). While many states quickly enacted legislation addressing NIL, it remains to be seen whether and how … Continue Reading

Name, Image, and Likeness in US College Athletics: One Year Later

In the United States, college athletics are as popular as professional sports, generating revenues of over $1 billion for the 2021 fiscal year. Despite this popularity, college athletes have long been classified by the National Collegiate Athletic Association (“NCAA”) as having amateur status. The NCAA—which promulgates the rules and regulations pertaining to student-athletes’ participation and … Continue Reading

Supreme Court Finds For NCAA Student-Athletes on Antitrust Issues

NCAA student athletes are entitled to education-related benefits, such as paid post-graduate internships, scholarships for graduate school, tutors, laptops, science equipment, musical instruments, and annual awards for academic achievement up to $5,980. Justice Neil Gorsuch wrote the opinion for the unanimous Supreme Court ruling, holding that the now-former NCAA prohibition for such things violated antitrust … Continue Reading

Preparing the Pitch – England’s Return to Grassroots Football

On July 18, the English Football Association (the “FA”) announced plans for a ‘phased return’ to the pitch. For our American readers, the FA (formed in 1863) is the oldest football association in the world. It is responsible for overseeing all aspects of the amateur and professional game in its territory, which includes England and … Continue Reading

What’s in a name? Dulwich Hamlet FC at loggerheads with its landlord over trade marks

Planning disputes don’t often lead to the host of Match of the Day tweeting their outrage. However, the ongoing saga between Southwark Council and Meadow Residential LLP (“Meadow”), has drawn the ire of Gary Lineker and other prominent figures in the football world. At the centre of the dispute is non-league Dulwich Hamlets FC (“DHFC”).  … Continue Reading

PyeongChang 2018: no thaw in frosty relationship between the NHL and the IOC

The XXIII Winter Olympics in PyeongChang are now well underway in what are reported to be some of the coldest and most treacherous conditions yet for a Games to be held in. Great Britain’s darling of short track speed skating and current World Champion, Elise Christie, agonisingly crashed out of the 500m final today meaning … Continue Reading

Sports team initiations: when a culture problem becomes a legal problem

Today, the RFU has reportedly attributed to “initiation ceremonies” huge drop-offs in participation in the sport by university age players.  According to the RFU, the reputation of initiations has led to up to 10,000 players leaving the sport between school age and university.  Stories reported by the Times range from players having to fish dead … Continue Reading

Squire Patton Boggs @ the Law Society Rugby 7s and Netball Tournament

Yesterday saw Squire Patton Boggs lawyers compete in the first combined Law Society rugby sevens and netball tournament, sponsored by Marston Holdings, in the glorious sunshine at the Richmond Athletic Ground. With the sevens team completing the grand slam of City Sevens and Law Society Sevens titles in 2016, hopes were high for another strong … Continue Reading

FA Introduces Greater Protection for Referees at Grassroots Level

In the 77th minute of England’s victory over Slovakia in last night’s World Cup qualifier, Tottenham’s midfield maestro Dele Alli, was unceremoniously body checked by former Liverpool defender Martin Skrtel. Despite going to ground in a promising attacking position, the referee, Clement Turpin, waved play on. Television camera subsequently showed an unhappy Alli making a … Continue Reading

It’s Just Not Cricket: Amateurs and Immigration

For the last seven years, the UK government has made it a key priority to reduce the UK’s net migration figure.  Measures to that end have included making the ability to employ a non-EEA national exceptionally expensive (currently, for a five year visa, the figure stands at in excess of £7,000 purely for visa fees … Continue Reading

Sometimes, it’s the taking part and not the winning that counts.

Not a phrase this author ever thought she would utter. However, participation in the London MoonWalk 2017 convinced me that (in some circumstances) it is 100% accurate. During the course of Saturday 13 and Sunday 14 May 2014, a 22 strong Squire Patton Boggs’ team (a motley crew comprising lawyers, support staff, clients, friends and … Continue Reading
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