The Bottom Line As major sports begin to plan for play in the COVID-19 era, leagues, teams and brands should each be rethinking their approach to sponsorships to:Examine the assumptions built in to the sponsorship;Reevaluate how to measure the elements of the partnership; andEngage in advance Continue Reading
Commercial Production Changes in Light of COVID-19
The Bottom Line As we continue to move forward, and hopefully see a light at the end of the tunnel, we may come full circle to a situation where a “standard” contractual approach to events beyond a party’s control, where a pandemic-related circumstance may or may not qualify, is the default and the Continue Reading
All Bets Are Off (or On): SCOTUS Strikes Down Federal Ban on Sports Betting
The Bottom Line The Supreme Court held 6-3 that federal law prohibiting states from enacting sports betting schemes was an unconstitutional "commandeering" of state law issues by the federal government. In striking down the prohibition, the Court paved the way for states to decide for themselves Continue Reading
NCAA Obtains Injunction Over “March Madness” and “Final Four” Trademarks
The Bottom Line The NCAA has a history of diligently monitoring "Final Four," "March Madness" and other trademarks connected to the Division I Men's Basketball Tournament, and will be quick to act on unauthorized uses, especially when used to market or promote third-party products. Although Continue Reading