K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup (July 14, 2023)

Sports:

• Golf:
  • PGA Tour officials (other than Commissioner Jay Monahan who was still absent on “medical leave”) testified before the U.S. Senate Permanent Subcommittee on Investigations (PSI) regarding the PGA Tour’s planned agreement with Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund – PGA Tour executives testify before Senate on deal with Saudi Arabia’s PIF – The Athletic
  • Following the grilling on Capitol Hill and under pressure from U.S. Department of Justice antitrust regulators, the PGA Tour and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund have agreed to remove a non-solicitation clause from their framework agreement that would have prevented the tours from recruiting and poaching each other’s players – PGA Tour, PIF remove no-poaching clause from deal – ESPN
• Soccer:
  • Global soccer/football players union FIFPRO and its 66 member unions have agreed to develop a data management system that will give individual players the ability to store and control their own performance data throughout their careers – FIFPRO agrees to develop system that will give players ability to control their own performance data – The Athletic
  • Former Juventus F.C. president Andrea Agnelli was banned from football for a further 16 months and fined €60,000 following a case into salary maneuvers during the Covid-19 pandemic in addition to the two-year ban he was already serving – Former Juventus president Andrea Agnelli handed 16-month ban and fined over salary manoeuvres – The Athletic
  • Manchester United F.C. and F.C. Barcelona were both fined by UEFA for breaches of the Financial Fair Play (FFP) regulations with Manchester United handed a $336,420 fine and Barcelona receiving a $560,700 fine – Man United, Barcelona hit with UEFA fine for FFP breaches – ESPN
• NCAA:
  • Seven of the biggest college sports NIL collectives announced they are forming The Collective Association, which will seek to “advocate for student-athletes, share best practices and act as a unified voice to shape the development of the NIL market and beyond” – Seven major collectives forming association to ‘shape the development’ of NIL market – The Athletic
  • The ACC and TV network CW announced an agreement wherein the CW secured the rights to broadcast 50 ACC game comprised of one weekly football game each Saturday this fall along with men’s and women’s basketball doubleheaders through the winter’s basketball season – ACC, CW strike broadcast deal to air 50 football, basketball games – ESPN
  • Northwestern University fired longtime head football coach, Pat Fitzgerald, amid allegations of widespread hazing within the football program after further allegations came to light in a story published in the school’s newspaper after Northwestern had already announced Fitzgerald would be suspended for two weeks as a result of an investigation commissioned by the university earlier this year – Northwestern fires football coach Pat Fitzgerald amid hazing claims – ESPN
  • Days after dismissing its football coach, Northwestern fired baseball coach Jim Foster following allegations of bullying and a toxic environment within the program – Northwestern fires baseball coach Jim Foster after bullying allegations – ESPN
  • West Virginia University continues to stand by its assertion that, contrary to a surprising claim by Bob Huggins’ attorney, the former men’s basketball head coach did resign last month after a highly publicized DUI arrest, and that the university had not violated its contract by falsely claiming that he had notified it of that decision – WVU Denies Claim From Ex-Coach’s Atty That He Didn’t Quit – Law360
• Olympic Sports:
  • Champion runner Caster Semenya won a landmark legal victory when the European Court of Human Rights decided she was discriminated against by sports rules that force her to medically reduce her natural hormone levels to compete in major competitions – Caster Semenya wins in human rights court, but Paris unlikely – ESPN
• NBA:
  • Federal prosecutors are requesting a 10- to 12-year prison sentence for a former NBA journeyman, Terrence Williams, who is the alleged ringleader of a sprawling conspiracy to bilk millions from the league’s health care plan – Feds Want 10-12 Years For NBA Health Fraud’s Alleged Leader – Law360

Entertainment:

• In solidarity with Hollywood writers union that continues to be on strike, the Hollywood actors union (SAG-AFTRA) went on strike for the first time in 43 years with similar major concerns as the writers regarding residuals, and use and ownership of AI, among others; representing the first time both writers and actors have simultaneously shut down the industry in 63 years – Hollywood shuts down as actors join writers on strike (axios.com)
• Aretha Franklin’s estate now has some direction toward settlement and probate as a jury found that a handwritten will from 2014 found in the former Queen of Soul’s couch cushions was here valid will; as always, celebrity estates provided some important lessons for all – Aretha Franklin’s will was in her couch. Here are 5 tips on where to keep yours. – The Washington Post