Friday Sports Replay

Sports venues dominated the news with expansions, lease extensions, and fundraising efforts. This week’s top stories also focus on NFL lawsuits, jersey sponsorship, and NCAA scholarships.

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Sports Venues

The Louisiana Stadium and Exposition District board of commissioners approved the new long-term lease extension for the New Orleans Hornets at its meeting this week. The new lease agreement, which will keep the Hornets in the New Orleans Arena through 2024, now moves to the Louisiana Legislature for approval. http://bit.ly/JSBlC7 

A bill to use public funds to build a new stadium for the Minnesota Vikings in Minneapolis failed in a state house committee vote. http://bit.ly/IVUjc3 

Minnesota House Democrats unsuccessfully attempted to revive the plan for the new stadium by sending it to a different committee. http://bit.ly/IajyZV 

LSU has released official plans for the expansion of Tiger Stadium, increasing the stadium’s capacity to around 100,000. LSU’s Athletic Department will present the proposal to the LSU Board of Supervisors next week. http://bit.ly/HR5DoY 

The University of California-Berkeley faces fundraising problems in an effort to renovate its football stadium. The school is short around $240 million and looking for ways to make up the deficit. http://on.wsj.com/JBINkP 

As college and professional sports venues continue to renovate and expand, the Miami Heat’s AmericanAirlines Arena plans to experiment with a new entertainment venue – a nightclub. http://bloom.bg/JgwiOT 

The Oakland Coliseum may change hands soon as SMG, the stadium’s current operator, and AEG, the owner of Los Angeles’s Staples Center, bid against each other for a five-year contract with the stadium. http://bit.ly/I1Gomp 

Major League Soccer’s Portland Timbers unveiled their new practice facility, the result of a partnership between the team, Adidas, and the Tualatin Hills Park and Recreation District. http://bit.ly/HZq1p6

NFL

A concussion lawsuit filed against the NFL repeatedly mentions the recent Bountygate scandal as evidence of the NFL’s hard-hitting, violent culture. http://bit.ly/II7CQw

Pittsburgh Steelers running back Rashard Mendenhall’s lawsuit for breach of contract against Hanesbrands Inc. will move forward as a judge denied Hanesbrands’s request for judgment as a matter of law late last week. Hanesbrands terminated its endorsement deal with Mendenhall after his controversial tweets last May regarding Osama bin Laden’s death and questioning the truth of the September 11th attacks. Copy of the order: http://bit.ly/ICZwWk 

The NFL Players Association is suing the NFL Coaches Association for more than $650,000 in debt. http://bit.ly/IQAhDe
A copy of the complaint can be found here: http://scr.bi/Is4XYU 
The NFL Coaches Association’s response is here: http://scr.bi/I8KBS2 

The arbitration hearing involving the NFL, Dallas Cowboys, and Washington Redskins regarding salary cap penalties is now set for May 10 before arbitrator Stephen Burbank. http://bit.ly/JJ9i7S 

Professor Feldman (@SportsLawGuy) provided some insight on the pending arbitration last week: http://wapo.st/HtcMKv

Other

University of Utah recently rescinded high school senior Josh Hearlihy’s scholarship before his high school graduation because of injury concerns. http://usat.ly/IUyjwd 

For a further examination of the rules governing National Letters of Intent, oversigning, and scholarship rescission, check out the three part series that ran earlier this year on the Tulane Sports Law Blog (part one, part two, and part three).

Are companies making inroads on the issue of jersey sponsorship in the major American sports? The NBA board of governors is examining the possibility of corporate jersey sponsorship. http://nyti.ms/HWLlvD 

Major League Soccer Commissioner Don Garber stated the league would implement goal-line technology if soccer’s governing body, the International Football Association Board, approves the technology this summer. http://wapo.st/IS9aSM