Media & Entertainment Law

This Is the Week Conference Expansion Gets Decided

Posted on June 06, 2010
On Sunday, the Big Ten Presidents met for four hours and discussed expansion for at least half that time.  What was decided, if anything, has not yet been announced, although it appears that no vote has been taken.  What is clear is that the deadline the Big XII gave Nebraska and Missouri has accelerated the Big Ten timeline...

Louisville Basketball Rolling in Cash

Posted on June 03, 2010
The University of Louisville basketball program has been well known for years as a terrific revenue generator.  In fact, for the last several years it has been the highest grossing and highest netting program in the country, however, it outdid itself last year...

Six Is In SIght

Posted on May 30, 2010
After a very satisfying revenge victory in Friday's 15-10 defeat of North Carolina, the Northwestern Wildcats lacrosse team find themselves in very familiar territory: the NCAA championship game.  Going after their sixth straight championship, the Cats take on a Maryland squad that came into the NCAA tourney ranked number one in the country and has done nothing in the tourney to disabuse anyone of the notion that the ranking was well deserved...

UEFA Adopts Financial Fair Play Rules to Reign In Big Spenders

Posted on May 28, 2010
None of the major European soccer leagues have salary caps or any restrictions on player payrolls that resemble those in place in any of the North American professional sports leagues.  As a result, player salaries regularly outstrip club income, especially at the big clubs competing for both their league championships and the Champions League title, clubs such as Manchester United, Liverpool, Real Madrid, Barcelona and Inter Milan...

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NYRA Gets Bailout from New York State

Posted on May 27, 2010
I'm a bit late in reporting but there's good news for those of you who like to summer in Saratoga.  On Monday, New York Governor David Patterson signed a bill authorizing a $25 million loan to the New York Racing Association allowing NYRA to operate meets at Belmont, Saratoga and Aqueduct...

Texas Rangers File Chapter 11 In Hopes of Speeding Sale

Posted on May 25, 2010
The liquidation of the Tom Hicks sports empire took another step closer to reality yesterday when the Texas Rangers filed a pre-packaged Chapter 11 bankruptcy petition in an effort to get approval to sell the club to a group led by attorney Steve Greenberg and Nolan  Ryan...

Why Russian Oligarchs Buy Sports Teams

Posted on May 24, 2010
I've heard plenty of reasons, and no doubt you've thought of few yourself, as to why Russian billionaires have taken to buying professional sports franchises in western sports leagues, i.e. Roman Abramovich's Chelsea and Mikhail Prokhorov's Newark/Brooklyn Nets...

Congrats to Cats and Hawks

Posted on May 23, 2010
It's a good weekend to be a Chicago sports fan.  On Saturday, the five-time defending national champion Northwestern Wildcat lacrosse team booked its ticket to next weekend's Final Four defeating Duke 18-8.  On a rain and windswept Lakeside Field which at times more closely resembled a Scottish links course at dawn than a lacrosse field, the Cats scored the first ten goals to put away the fifth ranked Blue Devils...

Worldwide Wes and LeBron

Posted on May 20, 2010
If you're interested in the phenomena that is Woldwide Wes, William Wesley, thought by many to be the key to the next location of LeBron James, go read this post. For years, Wes has operated in college and NBA circles as the man with the largest rolodex in basketball, but without any apparent source of income from it...

Manchester United's Loan Rate Rise May Take It Out of Transfer Market

Posted on May 19, 2010
With mortgage rates running around 4 1/2 % per annum, for those folks who still have jobs and feel relatively secure in their jobs, this may be a good chance to refinance their mortgage.  With prime rate running at 3 1.2% consumers and businesses who have a relationship with a bank that is actually making loans should be refinancing their debt...

ESPN Lands New ACC Football and Basketball Rights

Posted on May 17, 2010
Overcoming spirited bidding from Fox, ESPN landed the football and basketball rights contract for the ACC for the next 12 years.  That bidding by Fox drove the price up from an expected $125 million per year to $155 million per, still well south of the SEC's $205 million from its new CBS and ESPN contracts...

Preakness Covenant Ensures Race Will Stay In Maryland; Model for Others

Posted on May 16, 2010
When Maryland was faced, last year,  with the bankruptcy of Magna Entertainment, the owner of Pimlico Race Course and the Preakness Stakes it refused to sit back and await results like so many other state and municipal governments faced with the threat of losing local sports franchises...

Thursday Tidbits

Posted on May 13, 2010
I don't usually do two linkfests in one week, but I have a number of stories that are worth reading or just shaking your head at, and wanted to get them out there:As NBA ownership officially goes internationally, a look at why Bruce Ratner failed so miserably as the owner of the Newark/Brooklyn Nets (WSJ)Who is going to win, and profit from, the World Cup (FT Alphaville via Abnormal Returns)The details on Anheuser-Busch's big bet on the NFL, which we reported earlier (SBJ)New York Magazine's cover story on why LeBron should become a Knick; (my take:he should stay with the Cavs provided they go out and find him a team to play with - also a problem with NY) (NY Mag)Texas high school basketball player arrested for impersonating a high school player - since he was 22 and had used up his eligibility in Florida - school was Permian of Friday Night Lights fame (Dallas News)Do soccer players and goalies act rationally in playing penalty kicks? (Cognition and Culture)How stock traders are like callers to sports talk radio (Chris Perruna via Abnormal Returns)Wilpon family and Mets look to add soccer, Islanders and arena to Flushing  (NYT)  Super Saver, the Preakness morning line favorite at 5-2, draws post position 8, right next to main rival Luckin' at Lucky, who is at 3-1 and is in post position 7 (Baltimore Sun)TARTICLEURLTARTICLEURL

A Small Gift for the Duke Haters

Posted on May 13, 2010
 The NCAA recognizes schools each year for their exceptional work in the classroom as part of the its academic performance program. The Public Recognition Award is  given to each school that performs in the top ten percent in each sport on the APR...

Monday Morning Links

Posted on May 10, 2010
A few links to get your week off to a good start, or at least give you something to read while you drink your coffee and delay opening your office email.ARTICLEURLEx-Trail Blazer Chris Dudley running for Governor of Oregon is one of a number of former athletes competing in Republican primaries around the country (AP)Reflecting the difficulty of athlete endorsers, Nutrisystems drops Lawrence Taylor in wake of rape charges (Darren Rovell)Intereesting look at Todd Pletcher's coast to coast racing operation and the importance of good assistant trainers, which he was once one for D...

MLS Comes to Montreal as Expected

Posted on May 08, 2010
MLS is considering a second team in New York as a twentieth club.  Discussions had been held with the Wilpon family, who own the Mets.  Those discussions were put on hold ostensibly due to the family's need to focus on the opening of CitiField, but also, perhaps to assess the impact on the family and its business of their investments with Bernie Madoff...

Anheuser-Busch and NFL in $1Billion Deal to Replace Coors

Posted on May 05, 2010
When Anheuser-Busch was bought by Brazilian-Belgian giant Inbev last year, there was great concern that Anheuser-Busch's sports advertising and promotion might be in jeopardy as the two companies had had a different philosophy towards advertising and promotion...

Mazel Tov to Goldberg

Posted on May 03, 2010
Famed WWE wrestler and former Georgia Bulldog football star Bill Goldberg headlines a class of seven inductees into the National Jewish Sports Hall of Fame.  Also, headlining this year's inductees are Virginia Tech head basketball coach Seth Greenberg and US National Swim Team, and Beijing Olympic star Jason Lezak, he of the touch-up win in the thrilling 4x100 meter relay that kept Michael Phelps medal march intact...

Yardbarker Survey for $100

Posted on May 03, 2010
Yardbarker Network is sponsoring a short  survey which we are asking all readers to please fill out.  The survey is only 10 questions and everyone who completes a survey is eligible to win a $100 Amex gift card.  Please go here to fill out the survery:SURVEY:  http://www...

Bo-Rail Gave Super Saver a Super Ride to the Roses

Posted on May 03, 2010
The track was slop but it wasn't uniformly so and only someone intimately familiar with the way Churchill Downs drains would know the channels to the finish line that held firmer ground.  The race is a cavalry charge at the beginning and one key to winning is to avoid getting too banged up or boxed during the early going (sorry Luckin At Lucky and Stately Victor) to be unable to recover...

Non-Derby Links for An Early Derby Morning

Posted on May 01, 2010
Here's what I've been occupying myself with while I get ready for my assault on the Churchill Downs pari-mutuel pools:TARTICLEURLOn the marriage between television and sports (Abnormal Returns)Do the Giants want to buy the Warriors? (SF Chronicle)Ted Leonsis reaches deal to buy remaining interest in Wizards, so will own Capitals, Wizards and Verizon Center (WaPo) Promotion to Premier League worth 90 million pounds per year to promoted clubs (Sports Business)Kobe again top selling player jersey and Lakers top selling team (Business of Sports)TARTICLEURLTARTICLEURL

Rachel Alexandra Returns to Churchill Downs

Posted on April 30, 2010
It's Oaks Down in the River City and for those of you who are unfamiliar with the ways of Louisville, that means it's a holiday here and no one will be working, whether they go to the track or stay home and plant a garden.  The day has dawned with beautiful blue skies, sunshine and temperatures that are expected to hit 85 by post time of the Kentucky Oaks...

F1 Driver's Thumbs Insured for One Million Euros

Posted on April 30, 2010
We've always known that there is a lot of money to be made on the Formula One circuit.  After all, Kimi Raikkonen finished third on the Forbes list of highest paid athletes in 2009 with $45 million, while finishing third in the Formula One standings that year...

Derby Picks

Posted on April 30, 2010
I'm sitting here in front of the TV watching the fillies parade to the gate for the start of the Kentucky Oaks on a day without a cloud in the sky and before an Oaks Day record of in excess of 116,000.  It's hard for me to imagine how bad the track is likely to look tomorrow but with the forecast calling for severe thunderstorms all day, it's prudent to factor off-track performance into your handicapping if you can...

How Much is Winning The UEFA European Champions League Worth?

Posted on April 29, 2010
There is no question that competing in the Champions League is very valuable to any club, from those eliminated in the first round to those who make the championship game.  The question is how much is it worth to make it into that championship final?  In 2009, it has been estimated that FC Barcelona's win was worth up about 110 million Euros, after factoring in television revenue, prize money, increased ticket sales, increase in squad value, sponsorship and media rights...

Cubs , White Sox Sell Naming Rights to Crosstown Classic

Posted on April 28, 2010
Now this is something I didn't expect to see and I suppose it's another example of the changed focus of the Cubs new owners.  The Cubs and the White Sox have gotten together and found a unique way to sell naming rights to the annual Crosstown Classic played as part of interleague play each summer...

Kentucky Derby Looks Wide Open as Favorite Ruled Out

Posted on April 26, 2010
It's a rainy Monday in the Ville to start Derby Week and it's gloomier than usual around the Todd Pletcher barn. Pletcher, who has been the nation's leading trainer and his horses have won seven of the twenty-one graded prep races leading up to the Derby...

UK High Court Rules Fixtures Are Copyrighted

Posted on April 26, 2010
Expect to see fewer schedules of English Premier League games in favorite newspaper or online site in the coming days as a British High Court has ruled that the fixtures are copyrighted by the English Premier League.  The EPL and four other bodies  brought the case against companies including Yahoo over their unlicensed use of fixtures (schedules to Americans)...

Live Running Wagering (Day Trading) In Vegas

Posted on April 22, 2010
There is certainly a lot of movement in and around sports betting in America these days.  I just recently wrote about the fantasy game being run by the Philadelphia Daily News allowing online fantasy gaming. In addition, a sports betting hedge fund is about to be launched in the UK, not unlike one proposed several years ago by Mark Cuban, although the newer one now being organized has a broader based strategy...

Adios Lorena! Ochoa Announces Retirement from LPGA

Posted on April 21, 2010
Following in the footsteps of Anneka Sorenstam, the woman she succeeded as the world's number one player, Lorena Ochoa announced her retirement from the LPGA tour.  While she didn't say so in the announcement, she has previously indicated a desire to spend more time with her husband and step-children and to have children of her own...

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