Friday Sports Replay

It was a bit of a slow week in sports law, but concussions and issues surrounding the NCAA continue to dominate the headlines.  It seems like every week a new concussion suit is filed, and this week is no different. It will be interesting to see how the different leagues and governing bodies respond to the rise in public pressure and lawsuits.

Concussions and Player Safety

The family of former Chicago Bears player Dave Duerson filed a wrongful death suit against the NFL on Thursday. http://bit.ly/Aw6Q9H 

Wisconsin is the latest in a long line of states to consider youth concussion laws. http://bit.ly/yL5JY0 

Kansas recently passed legislation to protect youth athletes from concussions.  http://bit.ly/AiSDKb Here is the legislation: http://bit.ly/AFgi40 

How is NASCAR handling concussion issues? http://es.pn/wNO7Eb 

A former high school hockey player who was knocked unconscious during a playoff game two years ago is suing the school division, the coaches of the opposing team, and the player who hit him. http://bit.ly/wNjCFE 

Here is an excellent look at the health insurance rules and procedures in the NCAA. http://bit.ly/xrNiM7 

NCAA Multi-Year Scholarship

Schools can officially offer multi-year scholarships.  The override fell 2 votes short (205 schools voted against a multi-year scholarship).   http://bit.ly/xUewTe Here is how all the schools voted: http://bit.ly/wB79IK 

NCAA Transfers

Amid growing pressure, Maryland granted quarterback Danny O'Brien's transfer request. http://nyti.ms/wdFLHG 

Professor Zola explains some of the rules affecting transfers here: http://bit.ly/ygp4BV 

MLB

Ryan Braun is the first player to successfully appeal a drug suspension. http://bit.ly/ynb7lg 

Linsanity

An excellent look at the intellectual property issues surrounding Jeremy Lin. http://onforb.es/xbhtKA

Mardi Gras Sports LINks

Mardi Gras is in full swing here in New Orleans, and Jeremy Lin continues to dominate the headlines.  In honor of Jeremy Lin’s meteoric rise to the top of the sports world, he leads this week’s links.

The LINsation

Jeremy Lin Quick Facts:

·         Web traffic to NYKnicks.com increased 550% last week vs. the prior week, video highlight clicks increased 1,205%

·         Over the last 6 days, the average listed price for a Knicks ticket on the secondary market has risen 7.6% to $253.41

·         Even with the Time Warner dispute, Knicks average household ratings on MSG are up 70% since Jeremy Lin started on 2/6

·         Since Jeremy Lin's first start on 2/4, MSG's market cap has grown $228 million. Over that time, they paid Lin about $48,100

MSG’s stock price has increased from $29.32 to $31.15, or over 6%, adding $139 million to the company’s market value. During the same period the S&P 500 has gone up less than 1%.  http://onforb.es/yiXhq9 

Linsanity has reached the U.S. Trademark Office. http://bloom.bg/ynJ6jn 

The economics of Jeremy Lin could translate into $150 million by the 2012-13 season. http://onforb.es/xRYXr8 

Sports Broadcasting

MUST READ: NFL nixed President Nixon's deal on TV blackouts http://es.pn/z6RAgf. "The folks should be able to see the god---- games on tv"

The Federal Communications Commission sought public comment on its sports blackout rule, and most of the people weighing in are urging the FCC to scrap it. http://bit.ly/ymOstY 

Sports talk radio is going through a renaissance. The number of sports talk radio stations in the United States has grown by a whopping 64 percent in the 10 years since 2002. The reason is simple - advertising. http://bit.ly/A9yj8n 

The Pac-12 broke ground on a studio for its new television network that will launch this summer. http://wapo.st/ACBaXB 

Great article over on TheLegalBlitz about who will foot the bill of any FCC fines for rapper M.I.A's obscene gesture during the Super Bowl http://bit.ly/x6pXnv 

A fee-based component is coming to March Madness online coverage. http://bit.ly/yiADth   

Linsanity! Could the Knicks point guard put pressure on MSG and Time Warner Cable to end their dispute? http://nydn.us/zQ9tlp 

NCAA

The price for running afoul of NCAA rules could be stunningly high if the association goes through with a plan for overhauling its enforcement process. http://usat.ly/xPLgOM 

The NCAA has waded into a war of words with New York Times columnist Joe Nocera. http://bit.ly/zKg0gD 

Joe Nocera continues his assault on the NCAA with a look at how the NCAA deals with hockey “advisers” http://nyti.ms/zVweDd

How likely are high school and college athletes to go pro? http://bit.ly/A4b67t 

West Virginia and the Big East settled their dispute last week; here is a copy of the agreement, http://bit.ly/Adc7Yz and an analysis by Kristi Dosh. http://es.pn/wMkVpG 

North Dakota's Board of Higher Education voted Monday to sue to attempt to block a public vote on a state law that requires the University of North Dakota's athletics teams to be called the Fighting Sioux. http://es.pn/whx1dd 

This week NCAA Division I members began voting on whether to rescind the multi-year scholarship plan.  Should they consider how future plaintiffs may be able to successfully assert antitrust claims against the NCAA if they don’t adopt the plan? http://bit.ly/A9LAKC 

The NCAA considers changes to $2,000 stipend based on financial need. Unlike the earlier proposal, the new plan would allow athletes on partial scholarship to qualify for a proportionate share of the extra money, if they could prove they needed it. http://bit.ly/wfNoct 

Kentucky basketball officials seek to end Anthony Davis 'wingspan' poster sales. A similar situation arose in the fall with LSU and the ‘honeybadger.’ http://cjky.it/zGbDTt 

Player Safety

The group of NFL retirees that was a part of the labor talks during the lockout last year has not given up their push for better post-career care. Judge Susan Nelson heard oral arguments Wednesday. http://bit.ly/AzraMq 

Insurance companies are rethinking covering concussed NHL players. http://bit.ly/zJdN0g 

The latest in the Minnesota Vikings stadium saga: http://onforb.es/AdApwP 

Friday Sports Links

Another eventful week in the world of sports law, especially in the NCAA, where West Virginia and the Big East reportedly settled their dispute, and student-athletes are in hot water as a result of social media.  But, nothing compares to the "Linsanity" sweeping the nation.


Sports Broadcasting

The NFL is planning 13 Thursday night games in 2012. http://bit.ly/ymWLeG Find out why they won't play on Friday nights, here: http://bit.ly/ylyp3J 

The ACC's expansion will likely add $1-2 million per year per team to their current 12-year $13 million deal with ESPN. http://bit.ly/wTXaVA 

NBC's live stream of the Super Bowl drew a record 2.1 million unique viewers.  http://bit.ly/yyQcKS Reports indicated that NBC received an ad fee of $55 CPM. http://bit.ly/ypHLkX That's just over 100k per advertisement.

NCAA

WVU and Big East reportedly settle lawsuit for $20M http://bit.ly/ABYJ1M. Earlier in the week, there were reports that the Big 12 might help pay West Virginia's exit fee from the Big East. http://bit.ly/w4pMVc 

The Big Ten is considering ideas for a national 4-team football playoff. Semifinals would be played on the college campus of the higher seed; title game could be bid out, like Super Bowl. http://trib.in/yYVmP7 

But would a four-team playoff really be less controversial than the BCS? http://bit.ly/wR04ei

On Tuesday, a judge in San Francisco blocked an attempt by former NCAA athletes to obtain TV sports contracts and other documents pertaining to the ongoing In re NCAA Student-Athlete Name & Likeness Licensing Litigation http://bit.ly/yC2CQX 

The University of North Dakota has resumed using its "Fighting Sioux" nickname http://fxn.ws/A78mCR 

Mark Emmert is urging schools to support the four-year scholarship proposal. He needs 222 out of the 355 Division I schools to override the legislation. http://thesent.nl/znTDSB 

Forty years after Title IX, disparities remain http://bit.ly/Af1Rld 

Andy Schwarz explains elasticity of supply and demand and how it relates to claims that the NCAA is an illegal cartel. http://bit.ly/wQAdg4 

Social Media, Privacy and the NCAA

The Maryland state legislature proposed a bill to address college athletes' social media privacy. The bill would stop colleges and universities from keeping digital tabs on student-athletes. http://nyti.ms/Aohfhs 

This week, a Stony Brook University football student-athlete was publicly reprimanded and suspended from the team's next championship opportunity as a result of an inappropriate and offensive racial reference on his Twitter page during the 2011 NCAA Division I Football Championship. http://bit.ly/A002JU 

BusinessofCollegeSports.com demonstrates how some of the top athletic departments in the nation are allowing their student-athletes to utilize social media. http://bit.ly/yBowRz 

For more information on social media and NCAA compliance, see "Policing the Digital Wild West: NCAA Recruiting Regulations in the Age of Facebook and Twitter" by 2010 Tulane Law Grad, Victor Broccoli. 18 Sports Law. J. 43 (2011).

Linsanity! And Other Hot Topics This Week.

Linsanity! A look at how the Knicks' new point guard has assisted the NBA in China. http://onforb.es/A8FU44 

The London Olympics could crash the internet. Fears of an internet meltdown during the London Games may lead to web access being rationed for British businesses.  http://bit.ly/zbrued

7 Big Legal Questions (and Answers) surrounding the Super Bowl Big Game. http://bit.ly/zbrued 

Professor Michael McCann analyzes three key legal lessons from the NFL and NBA lockouts: http://bit.ly/zb1RRZ 

High school football fields can now feature advertisements.  http://onforb.es/w4pqwW 

Friday Sports Links-Super Bowl Edition

With nearly half the nation watching, along with millions more around the globe, it simply doesn't get much bigger than the Super Bowl. In honor of the big game, everything NFL and Super Bowl related leads off this week's sports links.

Super Bowl

During the Super Bowl, the NFL introduced an ad focused on its efforts to improve player safety. http://t.co/L0JKHuup 

At least four lawsuits blaming the NFL for concussion-related dementia and brain disease will be consolidated in Philadelphia, and more could follow. http://es.pn/AzEaLf

The NFL/Saints, and "Who Dat?", Inc. have agreed to voluntarily dismiss all the claims against each other in their pending lawsuit and to work together on merchandise featuring the "Who Dat?" phrase. http://bit.ly/xw1BQj 

What is the economic impact of the Super Bowl on the host city? Is it overestimated? http://onforb.es/AqN2SA 

An excellent analysis by Michael McCann of the "clean zones" implemented at the Super Bowl and other major sporting events to prevent ambush marketing. http://t.co/HlMZVZcn 

The NFL tenaciously protects its trademarked phrase 'Super Bowl.'  Advertisers have come up with many ways to skirt the issue, using such phrases as 'The Big Game.' http://lat.ms/ACBfuL 

Even though he didn't play in this year's Super Bowl, Aaron Rodgers is still the most marketable player in the NFL. http://bit.ly/A5LRMj 

'They use you up': Add Hall of Famer Tony Dorsett to the list of ex-players suing the NFL. http://apne.ws/AzbJPY

"60 Minutes" profile on NFL Commissioner, Roger Goodell. http://bit.ly/yFHcwO 

NCAA

This week, thousands of high school seniors signed their NLIs, but some received 4-year offers instead of the traditional 1-year option. http://es.pn/wpgPf6 and http://wapo.st/zOq8Hm 

The Pac-12 is planning to stream its own content online.  In the near future it will enable consumers to watch thousands of events each year - ranging from football, to basketball, to Olympic sports, to non-athletic content - from any device anywhere on Earth. http://on.mash.to/Au77Qh 

The NCAA will look this summer at retooling its Division I governance structure amid what some officials say is growing sentiment to further split its top football-playing schools. http://usat.ly/x7Al5u 

The NCAA is also looking at revamping its enforcement procedures. The NCAA wants to become more predictable and efficient in enforcement cases while putting harder hits on serious offenders who risk cheating. http://bit.ly/ygD80G   

MMA and the First Amendment

An update on the legal battle over New York's live fighting ban. http://bit.ly/yHQ1Tu 

Olympics

The IOC wants governments to do more to prevent illegal gambling and match fixing. http://es.pn/yUyyMT 

Friday Sports Links - January 27, 2012

It was a relatively quiet week in the world of sports law. Nevertheless, here are the links to the week's top stories in sports law and business.


Tweeting, the First Amendment and Player Discipline

The NFL is encouraging players to tweet during this weekend's Pro Bowl. http://bit.ly/xSdH81 

A top college football recruit has scholarship offer revoked following a series of inappropriate tweets. http://es.pn/zlxMCG 

Could the Boston Bruins punish Tim Thomas for skipping the White House visit? http://bit.ly/z8VYmv 


NBA

Blockbuster television deals and a new collective bargaining agreement have lifted the value of the average NBA team to a record $393 million, up 6.5% over last year. http://onforb.es/wnUcRp 

An excellent review of the 2011 NBA lockout from Stanford law professor and former Chairman of the National Labor Relations Board, William Gould:  http://bit.ly/y3EnyC

NFL

The NFL has extended Roger Goodell's contract through March 2019. http://bit.ly/Aq1Sbi 

Report: Chiefs refuse to pay Haley the balance of his salary. http://bit.ly/xRzeal 


NCAA

The NCAA's sickle cell policy is being challenged. http://bit.ly/A1fci5 Since 2000, the sickle cell trait has been linked to at least 9 collegiate football players' deaths. Alicia Jessop provides an in-depth look: http://bit.ly/oW5pO8 

Op-Ed: Living in Fear of the Gestapo NCAA.  http://nyti.ms/yDOeiE 

A potential "Real-World Model Collegiate Model."  http://huff.to/yGAhIC

Concussions

On Thursday, the United States Judicial Panel on Multidistrict Litigation met to consider whether to consolidate concussion litigation, as requested by the NFL. http://bit.ly/xdUWvo 

On Nov. 15, 2011, Pennsylvania became the 35th state to put into place a law governing how youth sports concussions are handled. Now, police are investigating a high school coach in Pennsylvania regarding his handling of possible player concussions. http://onforb.es/A7azLi 

The National Football League has selected Tulane University as one of only seven institutions in the country to be part of its Neurological Care Program for retired players. http://bit.ly/zROmW4 


Other

Florida law requires franchises that have received public benefits from the state to open their stadium doors for the homeless on non-event nights.  None have complied in 20 years. http://deadsp.in/xfZ8lX 

Now lawmakers are making a push to have that money returned and are also considering fines for blacking out games. http://bit.ly/AiGIzQ 

An in-depth look at how business plans in the action sports industry are evolving. http://bit.ly/z9NHBA 

This week features an extra dose of links due to the holiday break. Topics include: the NCAA convention, concussions, counterfeiting, pay for play, gambling, and franchise relocation. Next week we will return to the regularly scheduled programming.

Sports Broadcasting

NFL officially inks new deals with CBS, FOX, and NBC. NFL teams will now divvy up nearly $7 billion in media money starting in 2014. http://onforb.es/vhL27G 

The NFL will stream the Super Bowl online and to phones for the first time http://usat.ly/rWNuxP 

The FCC is reviewing the NFL's blackout policy.  http://nyti.ms/AmfXjB Here is the FCC's release: http://bit.ly/xCik1d. Alicia Jessop has a thorough analysis here: http://bit.ly/xzFxjr 

NCAA - Scholarship Stipends, Pay for Play, and the Annual Convention

Mark Emmert is determined to make changes and remains confident that a $2,000 stipend and four-year scholarships will eventually be implemented. http://es.pn/yJO6E1 

Back in October, following the presidential retreat, the NCAA announced a plan to allow schools to offer a $2,000 stipend to student-athletes.  That plan faced opposition in December and is now in trouble.  Ultimately, 161 of 355 Division I schools signed an override measure against the stipend, far more than the 75 needed for the NCAA board to reconsider the stipend.  http://usat.ly/sVCzOe.

However, this past weekend, the NCAA concluded its annual convention, and we learned more about the future of several proposed rule changes, including the stipend.

The $2,000 stipend is delayed, but not defeated. http://abcn.ws/ygFlgF 

Here's a look at how the top issues at the NCAA convention fared: http://trib.in/whv16Z and http://bit.ly/wEHbjQ 

And here's a summary of the issues that were expected to be addressed at the convention by Inside Higher Ed, written in advance of the meeting:  http://bit.ly/x0X0Ls 

Doug Lederman of Inside Higher Ed didn't think you should get your hopes up for changes anytime soon. http://bit.ly/zi0giA 

The 7th Circuit heard oral arguments in Agnew v NCAA (whether 1yr scholarship is antitrust violation) last week. You can listen here: http://1.usa.gov/ya1Iz9 

Todd O'Brien's Waiver Is Officially Denied.

On Wednesday, the NCAA officially denied Todd O'Brien's waiver appeal: http://es.pn/ylX9iJ 

Todd O'Brien's op-ed explaining his side of the story, http://bit.ly/ukM0l9 

Tulane Law student, Darsh Patel wrote about the situation back in December at http://bit.ly/wpKOyA 

Now, Kansas and Coach Weis won't release backup freshman quarterback Brock Berglund. http://bit.ly/y4cLNG 

Transfer 101 by John Infante,  http://bit.ly/yTaVyQ 

BCS v. Playoff

The 11 Football Bowl Subdivision conference commissioners along with the Notre Dame athletic director sat down in New Orleans to discuss a change in the postseason format. http://bit.ly/wE6QUc 

Even NCAA President Mark Emmert supports a playoff format. http://bit.ly/AsfsGy 

Alicia Jessop takes a look at the chances for a plus-one format. http://bit.ly/xHBQdD 

Utah Attorney General, Mark Shurtleff, is planning to sue the BCS and believes the Boise State snub helps his cause. http://bit.ly/uGa70f 

ESPN profile of the lawyers behind the "Playoff PAC" aimed at taking down the BCS: http://es.pn/t5H88o 

The NY Times wants a playoff, and bowl games too:  http://bit.ly/zm1CQp 

Trademarks, Licensing, Merchandise and Counterfeiting

Texas A&M is considering sending a cease and desist letter to the Denver Broncos for infringing on the school's "12th Man" trademark. http://es.pn/wIJNeK They did the same with the Seattle Seahawks in 2006. http://bit.ly/wDBkc2 

The Sports Business Journal takes a look at the licensing boon that awaits BCS title winners. http://bit.ly/whBwGi 

Is LSU profiting from the Honey Badger nickname? http://onforb.es/zFv7s9 

Plans for an LSU-licensed beer are on hold. http://bit.ly/xFizxZ 

The Ravens and the NFL recently shut down hundreds of online counterfeiters. http://bsun.md/xZFA3f 

Kristi Dosh has an inside look at collegiate counterfeiting on her ESPN Sports Business Blog

Terrell Suggs is in a legal battle for ownership of "Ball So Hard University" http://bit.ly/yBI5UK 

Electronic Arts is now battling to use images of real-life helicopters in one of its video games. http://bit.ly/yEJTzn 

Other NCAA Issues
 
"Paying College Athletes Is a Terrible Idea" - Mark Emmert http://on.wsj.com/Ax4Tts (subscription required)

An NCAA working group on enforcement will recommend the adoption of an expanded, four-level violation structure for infractions. http://bit.ly/wv3iyk 

Does college athletics need a government intervention? http://buswk.co/taq9G4 

Back in December, the Chronicle of Higher Education posted several articles under the heading "What the Hell Has Happened to College Sports And What Should We Do About It?"

This was the NCAA's response: http://bit.ly/vDMl84 

Despite success on the field, big-spending Rutgers athletics is saddled with its largest deficit ever http://bit.ly/uJ3Keq 

Congressman Joe Barton announced the formation of the Congressional Collegiate Sports Caucus which will "examine pressing issues facing college sports." http://bit.ly/vi0VfO

The National Collegiate Players Association has persuaded California and Indiana lawmakers to introduce student-athlete bill of rights legislation. http://bit.ly/yyEXIS   An Ohio lawmaker is pushing for similar legislation. http://bit.ly/z0jRUl 

A new SEC rule on signings offers a safety net for victims of oversigning. http://bit.ly/ym4pNF 

New Orleans, Sports Mecca?

How sports helped New Orleans rebuild following hurricane Katrina:  http://es.pn/x15VRN 

New Orleans hosted 9 major sporting events in a two-week span, http://nyti.ms/xALJ0k resulting in an economic impact of over 400 million dollars. http://bit.ly/zblggH 

Lamar Odom recorded a 'victory' in his battle with the IRS:  http://bit.ly/zYL9Rk 

Concussions

Over the past 6 months, the NFL was rocked with a flurry of concussion-related lawsuits. As of January 9, 2012, a total of 16 lawsuits have been filed against the NFL. http://bit.ly/w8ikmL 

Jamal Lewis and Dorsey Levens filed suit in Atlanta back in December. http://es.pn/sRkATn 

The NFL and NCAA are urging states to adopt concussion legislation http://usat.ly/whxyXB 

The Chris Paul Saga

Before CP3 became a Clipper he was very nearly a Laker and almost never a Clipper. Before the trade was proposed:

Professor Feldman gave his take on the CP3 saga http://es.pn/urR8Jo, and CP3 considered filing a lawsuit to force the trade. http://nydn.us/sA6Sfb 

Franchise Relocation

New York's governor is calling for millions of dollars in state funding to help keep the Buffalo Bills in western New York. http://es.pn/y709lN 

Could the Raiders be heading back to Los Angeles? http://read.bi/xFJEUY 

Minnesota appears committed to keeping the Vikings from leaving. http://es.pn/AigKsD 

West Virginia v Big East Lawsuit

On Dec. 27, 2011, a Rhode Island judge denied the Big East's request to dismiss the Big East's suit. http://es.pn/rV2Aaj 

This week the judge ordered the two sides to mediation. http://bit.ly/wiArOI 

Other

A Maryland lawmaker is seeking to exempt fantasy football from state gambling laws,  http://wapo.st/A34uk7 

New Jersey Governor Chris Christie signed a bill into law legalizing sports betting in the state - but only after a federal ban on such gambling is overturned. http://bit.ly/wPOHFQ

This was an extra busy week in the world of sports law.  Even though the Honey Badger may not care, here are some of the biggest stories in the world of sports law this week.

Concussions

PBS has more on the class action concussion lawsuit filed last week against the NCAA http://to.pbs.org/vLDBVZ 

Also, check out this PBS video on concussions in high school football http://to.pbs.org/icTBXx 

Yahoo has a thorough overview of NFL concussion lawsuits http://yhoo.it/vm0XS3 

Former NFL players file suit against NFL regarding concussions and negligent administration of painkillers.   http://nyti.ms/s4D91C 


Sports Broadcasting

The NFL could wind up generating close to $7 billion in national media revenue in 2014. http://bit.ly/vy0RQc and http://on.wsj.com/svnAzM 

WWE set to launch its own network on April 1, 2012. http://bit.ly/sPbAfL 


NCAA

LSU has issued cease and desist letters to producers of "Honey Badger Don't Care" merchandise. NCAA Bylaw 12.5.2.2 requires the "student-athlete (or the institution acting on behalf of the student-athlete) to take steps to stop such an activity in order to retain his or her eligibility." http://bit.ly/tkPh7n 

ESPN's Lester Munson takes a look at three lawsuits which could force changes in college athletics. http://es.pn/vxQ7a7 


Lockouts and CBA's

Professor Feldman talks about the end of the NBA lockout and the lessons learned on Grantland.

Darren Rovell and David Falk talk about MLB's new CBA. http://bit.ly/sJEknz 

Two Redskins players were suspended for 4 games in accordance with an NFLPA negotiated settlement arising out of a failed drug test during the lockout. http://wapo.st/vO1mLD 

NJ Sports Betting

NJ sports betting clears Senate committee http://mycj.co/uHLFDF and http://bit.ly/uCCaeu 

Darren Heitner's take in forthcoming law review article: http://bit.ly/tzZYBE


Other

Chris Paul trade 'nixed' at the last moment by league commissioner/Hornets owner David Stern. http://t.co/25TTuDUd 

The 49ers have a new stadium deal. http://bit.ly/uNDfVO

Frank McCourt is gearing up to sue the law firm which represented him in his recent divorce. http://on.wsj.com/uxZS5Z 

The Raiders are accusing a hamburger chain of violating the team's "Raider Nation" trademark. http://sfadvertising.com/?p=1264 and http://bit.ly/u3f9Lq 

Back in its original time-slot, Friday Sports Links is back.  Here are some of the biggest stories in the world of sports law this week.

NCAA
A must read from TSL alumni Warren Zola offering his thoughts and solutions for NCAA reform.

Are student-athletes getting enough to eat? http://huff.to/trgHOm & http://lat.ms/vVfZNN 

Students at Washington definitely are: http://on.wsj.com/noYfQx 

College athletes take concussions to the courtroom. http://nyti.ms/u73oqZ 

The Collegiate Licensing Company announced that it is cooperating with a DOJ investigation into the IMG affiliate's licensing practices. http://huff.to/uYmJGU 

CLC's announcement: http://bit.ly/tJwmod

Here is a copy of a letter sent over the summer to CLC and IMG by Dechert, LLP regarding their licensing practices: http://bit.ly/kYOBWJ 

Baseball
Minor League Umpires Agree to New 5 Year Deal. http://bit.ly/s5NcPb 

NFL
What would be the economic impact on Minnesota if the Vikings leave town? http://cbsloc.al/tzNSgu

Think the Jaguars are heading to Los Angeles? Think again. http://lat.ms/rNlhfl 

Business and Regulation
CNBC's Darren Rovell makes 5 predictions for the sports business in 2012 http://bit.ly/sZ6HKv 

Darren Heitner asks, "Does the U.S. need a sports czar?" http://fxn.ws/rM4t82 

Due to Turkey Day, last week's Friday Sports Links has become this week's Monday Sports Links.  All the same, this past week featured a Thanksgiving-sized array of hot topics. Most notably, the week saw the continuation of labor peace in MLB and an end to labor strife in the NBA. 

MLB Has a New Labor Deal

The new CBA will include blood testing for HGH. The New York Times examines the situation.

John Infante of the Bylaw Blog takes a look at the impact of the new CBA on college baseball.

Bizofbaseball.com has a breakdown of details for the new 5-year deal.

NBA Lockout

The lockout is over!  Yahoo Sports has the details here.

Professor Michael McCann examines the issues which need to be resolved before the season opens on Christmas Day.

Professor McCann also talked about the decision to consolidate on NBA TV.

Darren Rovelle takes a look at how the lockout has impacted small businesses and employees who depend on the NBA for their livelihood.

Professor Gabe Feldman took his talents to Grantland to explain what's next in the lockout saga.

Sports Broadcasting

Is ESPN's reign as the leader in sports broadcasting coming to an end?  BusinessInsider.com takes a look here.

NCAA

Andy Schwarz of sportgeekonomics.com creates an analogy between the NCAA and culinary shows.

The NCAA is close to revamping its rules on agents to include runners.  http://wapo.st/rAAred

The University of Maryland is planning to cut eight varsity sports. http://wapo.st/tTxwlE

Sports Law Scholarship

The Sports Law Blog has an expansive list of recent sports law scholarship. http://bit.ly/uUh475

By: Andrew Sensi

Every Friday, we will post links to the week's top sports law and business articles. This week features several hot topics, including:  pay-for-play, the NBA lockout, sports broadcasting rights, and NY's ban on mixed martial arts.

Professor Feldman discusses the NBA Lockout here and here.  Also, you can watch Professor Feldman explain the issues on Bloomberg News here.

Marc Edelman, Professor at Dwayne O. Andreas School of Law, Barry University, discusses the forum battle between the players and the NBA here.

The L.A. Times is the latest to tackle the pay-for-play debate here.

Google and YouTube are making a push to compete for sports broadcasting rights.
http://www.sportsbusinessdaily.com/Journal/Issues/2011/11/14/Media/YouTube.aspx#.TsKbszkDXug.gmail

U.F.C. sues New York State over its ban on mixed martial arts bouts.
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/11/16/sports/ufc-sues-to-lift-new-york-ban-on-mixed-martial-arts-fighting.html?_r=1