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Legal Analysis


Beyond Sponsorship: The Rise of Athletics Brands In-House Content Studios
The demand for digital content—whether on social media or streaming platforms—combined with the name, image, and likeness (NIL) era, where athletes actively monetize their personal brands, is reshaping how sports content is created and distributed. Last year, women’s basketball star JuJu Watkins partnered with UNINTERRUPTED, 4.4 Forty Media, and State Farm to produce On the Rise: JuJu Watkins , a six-part documentary giving viewers a behind the scenes look of her rise to st
Andrew Gagnon
Nov 173 min read


Duke Dunks on Counterfeiters
Duke University, one of the most prestigious colleges in the United States and home to one of the country’s most famous basketball...
Chris D'Avanzo
Sep 244 min read


Heating Up in South Beach: Heat’s New Trademark Fuels Speculation of a 'Vice' Rebrand
The Miami Heat sent shockwaves of speculation and excitement through South Florida with their recent trademark filing for a new “Heat”...
Oliver Canning
Sep 125 min read


When High-Caliber Talent Comes with High-Stakes Requests: A Primer for GCs, Associate GCs, and Compliance Professionals
Introduction Elite athletes can be franchise-changing, but when off-court demands swing into the extraordinary, GCs must tread carefully....

Stephon Burton
Sep 124 min read


A Mammoth Trademark Dispute: A Clash of Common-Law Rights and Pro Sports Branding
When the NHL’s newest franchise in Salt Lake City unveiled its permanent identity as the Utah Mammoth, it was supposed to be a moment of...

Stephon Burton
Sep 53 min read


Deuce, Set, Sip: The HONEY DEUCE Is the US Open’s Real Winner
On any given night at the US Open, the broadcast cuts from what looks like a Met Gala after-party to a sea of pink cups raised just as...
Chris D'Avanzo
Aug 273 min read


Realignment Isn’t Just a Scheduling Fix—It’s MLB’s Best Growth Play
Baseball has always thrived on rivalries: Yankees–Red Sox, Dodgers–Giants, Cubs–Cardinals. These matchups don’t just fill stadiums; they...
Oliver Stevens
Aug 225 min read


Out and on the Court – The Legal Impact of Queer Visibility in the WNBA
The WNBA is arguably the most openly queer professional sports league in the world, and not just by the numbers. Without athletes like...
Emery Ochshorn
Aug 223 min read


How to Protect Your Big… Dumper: The 1(b) Trademark Lesson for Athletes
Seattle Mariners catcher Cal Raleigh just made history. Not only did he become the first catcher in Major League Baseball history to win...
Chris D'Avanzo
Aug 93 min read


Who Owns Number 8? Understanding the Opposition Between NFL’s Lamar Jackson and NASCAR’s Dale Earnhardt Jr.
Earlier this week, Baltimore Ravens star quarterback Lamar Jackson filed a formal opposition to Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s attempt to federally...
Andrew Majka-Sunde
Apr 35 min read


How and Why the USPTO Robbed Us of What Would Have Been the Coolest Name in Professional Sports
With three months remaining before the 2025 NHL playoffs, the Utah Hockey Club finds itself in an uphill battle for postseason...
Calvin Holle
Mar 243 min read


The Shoe Surgeon Strikes Back, Nike Moves to Dismiss Defamation (Nike v. The Shoe Surgeon Update)
Earlier this year, Nike filed a lawsuit against popular L.A. based sneaker customizer Dominic Ciambrone —better known as The Shoe...
Andrew Gagnon
Mar 244 min read


Who Owns the Intellectual Property Rights to Sports Broadcasts?
Image Source: IFovdtv.Com Streaming services like Netflix are expanding their offerings, including live sporting events. A question I've...

Stephon Burton
Jan 25 min read
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