Media & Entertainment Law

Vote Bing For Mayor of Detroit

Posted on April 06, 2009
The latest fad in former NBA guards is to run for mayor. Following in the footsteps of Kevin Johnson, the recently elected mayor of Sacramento, Detroit has its own local hero making his political debut in a mayoral race. Dave Bing, once an all-NBA guard with the Detroit Pistons, and before that, a member of Syracuse University backcourt with Jim Boeheim, is now running hard to be mayor of Detroit...

Curlin Former Owners Convicted on Fraud Charges

Posted on April 04, 2009
Remember that mistrial last year in which a jury could not decide whether two lawyers who once owned Curlin were guilty of committing fraud against their clients in the fen=phen diet drug case? Their retrial ended yesterday when a jury convicted William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr...

Weekend Reading

Posted on April 03, 2009
A few stories for your weekend:IMG is taking over college athletics and why you should care (USA Today)Economic crisis apparently has skipped Australia, at least where footy is concerned; AFL looking for a A$1 Billion TV rights deal (AFL.com)Economic crisis in full flavor in US; personal seat license prices drop for first time (Bloomberg)Apparently Major League Baseball's aversion to gambling doesn't extend to lotteries, at least where there is a chance for a team to make a few bucks (Boston Herald)Remember the NHL's lockout season - it may turn out to be the very thing that gets the league through the economic crisis relatively unscathed (Orange County Register)Will Twitter eliminate the need for PR agents and the press who are served by them - Shaq announces latest endorsement deal on Twitter (Sportsbiz on CNBC)49ers and Santa Clara closing in on new stadium deal, while Major League Baseball and A's explore stadium deal with San Jose (Silicon Valley Business Journal and here)ARTICLEURL

Hicks Defaults on $525 Million in Loans

Posted on April 03, 2009
In case you couldn't guess why Tom Hicks put minority interest in the Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars up for sale, the answer came today as Hicks Sports Group defaulted on $525 million in loans by missing interest payments. Those loans are supposedly secured by the interests of Hicks in the Rangers and the Stars but not in Hicks' interest in English Premier League club Liverpool FC, which would account for the uncertainty surrounding its sale status last week...

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USA v. Jamaica Track Series Set for 2010

Posted on April 02, 2009
If you like speed, you're going to love this. The US Track Federation and the Jamaican Athletics Association announced the start of the USA v. Jamaica Challenge Series, meets that will feature USA and Jamaican track athletes competing against each other in a series of scored competition...

Minor League Promotion of the Week

Posted on April 01, 2009
Actually, this may turn out to be the promotion of the month. The Quad Cities River Bandits (Midwest League, Class A) are having a "Van Down by the River" promotion at every home game this season. Each game, eight lucky fans will be chosen to spend the game from an outfield berm, which is located just be the river and his van...

Calipari Goes to Kentucky

Posted on April 01, 2009
It just wasn't Rick Pitino's week. First, his Louisville Cardinals picked the most inopportune time to throw their most uninspired game of the year, against Michigan State in the Elite Eight, and lost a chance at the Final Four and his first national championship at Louisville...

Fox Soccer Channel Snags Champions League from ESPN

Posted on April 01, 2009
So, it doesn't look like ESPN is quite as committed to soccer as a foundation programming as it was a couple of years ago. Earlier this year, it announced that the MLS game of the week was no longer going to have a fixed time slot on Thursday night but was going to float through the week...

Ohio

Posted on March 31, 2009
ARTICLEURL

He's Baaaack!

Posted on March 30, 2009
Any questions about Tiger's fitness or the return of his golf swing were answered yesterday with his comeback win at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at Bay Hill Classic. Was anyone who was watching the 18th hole in person or on television ever in doubt as to the outcome of Tiger's putt? While you may want to feel sorry for Sean O'hair, golf is better off when Tiger is playing and on his game...

Innovative Naming Rights

Posted on March 28, 2009
Now this is a case of naming rights that not only goes to a worthy cause but actually is desperately needed, as I can attest to firsthand. In what I believe is a first of a kind, KFC is tackling the pothole in Louisville, which is a major problem in a cash strapped city...

Weekend Reading

Posted on March 27, 2009
A few Friday links:The Florida Panthers have totally integrated TV, radio, digital and arena marketing which may become the wave of the future (Ad Age)Impact of the economic crisis on Vancouver 2010 and London 2012 (Denver Post)Do investors biased belief in upcoming event affect the stock market's unexpected reactions, a study using publicly traded soccer clubs (SSRN, HT:Abnormal Returns) FIFA upset that English Premier League is too focused on "making a lot of money", like that's a bad thing? (Bloomberg)Elgin Baylor sues the Clippers for age and race discrimination following his firing after 22 years of employment and 22 years of losing (N Y Times)ARTICLEURL

Minority Interest in Texas Rangers and Dallas Stars for Sale

Posted on March 26, 2009
Dallas based venture capitalist and sports magnate Tom Hick is trimming his holdings a bit. The owner of the Dallas Stars, 95% of the Texas Rangers, 50% of Liverpool FC and 50% of the American Airlines Center, which is the Stars home, is marketing up to 49% of the Rangers and a similar interest in the Stars...

Villareal's Millionaires Taking Care of Unemployed Fans

Posted on March 25, 2009
Unemployment in the Castellon region of eastern Spain where the Villareal soccer team is located is running at a rate of 14.7%, the highest in the European Union, as Spain endures its deepest economic crisis since Franco was in power (and alive). The Yellow Submarine have a Champions League match with Arsenal coming up for a place in the semifinals and the Villareal management has asked its wealthy players, along with team officials and sponsors to donate to a fund to purchase tickets for unemployed fans...

Marlins Clear Last Political Hurdle to New Stadium

Posted on March 25, 2009
In a process that has seemingly taken decades, if not centuries, the Florida Marlins have won the last votes of public bodies needed to begin construction of a new baseball stadium on the site of the former Orange Bowl. Both the Miami City Commission and the Dade County Commission have approved the Marlins' financing plan for the construction of a $515 million baseball only, 37,000 seat, retractable roof stadium and $94 in adjacent parking lots...

Want to Buy a Pair of Legends? Canadiens and Liverpool on the Block

Posted on March 24, 2009
The latest victim of the global financial financial crisis happens to have financial interests in two of professional sports most legendary professional franchises, neither of which are located in his home country. Colorado businessman George Gillet, Jr...

DirecTV Extends NFL Sunday Ticket Through 2014

Posted on March 24, 2009
In a contract extension that was vital to DirecTV's marketing strategy, the satellite TV operator has extended its Sunday Ticket package exclusive of out of market NFL games through the 2014 season. The extension did not come cheap however, as sources have pegged the price to be a staggering $1 billion, yes that's with a "B", starting in 2011...

Illinois House Backs Chocago Olympic Bid With $250 Million

Posted on March 23, 2009
The International Olympic Committee will be sending its bid evaluation team to Chicago next month to evaluate that city's bid for the 2016 Summer Games. the Illinois House gave a boost to the city's bid last week, passing a bill to establish a $250 million insurance fund to cover any losses that the city may incur...

March Madness Good to CBS

Posted on March 23, 2009
Early returns from March Madness has shown the tournament still has its hold on America. Ticket sales have been down slightly from last year, slightly to significantly to not at all depending on the site. for a total of being off perhaps 5% to 10%. Much of that can be attributable to the economy...

Impact of the Recession/Depression Cont'd

Posted on March 22, 2009
We have been discussion the impact of the Great Recession or the Not So Great Depression (your choice) in this space for so time. It's impact has been felt by every major professional sport and, to a lesser extent so far, by collegiate football and basketball...

Twitter and the NBA

Posted on March 22, 2009
The Times is full of stories today. Interesting piece on the popularity of Twitter in the NBA, including the now infamous tweet from Charlie Villanueva during halftime of a Bucks game. Coach Scott Skiles was not amused. Shaq has also sent out a halftime tweet, which he announced in advance...

March madness Productivity Loss

Posted on March 19, 2009
Tuesday marked the official opening of March Madness with the debut game between Morehead State and Alabama State. It also saw the opening games in the NIT as well as two other tournaments beginning with the letter "C" that I don't know what the initials stand for nor do I particularly care...

Coach K to Obama: Get to Work

Posted on March 19, 2009
As most of you have probably heard by now, Andy Katz of ESPN famously scored an hour or less with President Obama who filled out an NCAA bracket much as he has done every year, I'm quite sure. Now, far be it from me to tell the Leader of the Free World what to do with his time and I wouldn't even be bringing this up if he hadn't had second thoughts about his bracket choices, but really, shouldn't he be worried about something more important than the NCAA tournament, like, oh I don't know, maybe the economy...

Reason to Watch the LPGA

Posted on March 18, 2009
Do you really need a reason to watch the LPGA? Is the level of golf played by these athletes not up to your standards, you with the 18 handicap? Well, here you are, all the reasons you will ever need. Meet Paula Creamer(who mysteriously is not in pink) and Natalie Gulbis off the course at the HSBC Open...

Naming Rights Gone Bad

Posted on March 18, 2009
We've seen numerous examples over the years of stadium and arena naming rights deals sold to corporations that for one reason or another a team wishes had never happened. Who can forget Enron Park (now, the memorable? Minute Maid Park) or the three names that the Baltimore Ravens stadium has had, only to wind up the eminently forgettable M&T Bank Stadium...

Will NCAA Opt Out of March Madness Contract with CBS?

Posted on March 17, 2009
Richard Sandomir reported today that the multi billion dollar contract between CBS and the NCAA that has been at the heart of CBS Sports winter programming for years and is the foundation of the NCAA's financial success, contains an option clause allowing the NCAA to opt out of the contract following the 2o10 tournament...

Nets Confirm Move to Brooklyn

Posted on March 16, 2009
The global economic crisis has sent shockwaves through the sports world as sponsorships have dried up and ticket sales have slowed. Nowhere has this impact been felt more keenly than metropolitan New York, which this month debuts two new baseball stadiums and where a new football stadium and basketball arena are being constructed...

Barca Looking at Investing in Philly MLS Franchise

Posted on March 16, 2009
Having walked away from pursuing an expansion franchise in Miami, it appeared that                  FC Barcelona's interest in Major League Soccer was going to remain that of an interested observer for a while.  However, one doesn't become one of the richest and most powerful clubs in world soccer by just standing on the sidelines...

Friday Quick Links

Posted on March 13, 2009
Delaware Governor ready to legalize sports parley gambling to boost state budget ARTICLEURL(ESPN)Is the English Premier League's dominance of the Champions League strictly a monetary issue (IHT)Hornets reach attendance mark, won't need state money (nola...

Portland Gets Serious About MLS Expansion

Posted on March 12, 2009
Now that Miami is out of the MLS expansion race, it is probably a good time to take another look at the remaining US candidates. One of the cities that is making a big push for a new franchise is Portland. The man behind the bid is currently the owner of the Portland Beavers AAA baseball franchise and the Portland Timbers USL soccer team...

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