K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup (July 15, 2025)

Sports:

• U.S. Education Secretary Linda McMahon on Monday threatened the state of California with legal action after the state refused to ban transgender girls from participating in girls’ sports as demanded by President Donald Trump‘s administration. US threatens California with legal action over transgender sports law – Reuters
• The dismissal of Patrick Reed’s defamation lawsuit against a number of golf media members and outlets has been upheld in the U.S. Court of Appeals. According to a release from the United States Court of Appeals for the Eleventh Circuit that was issued on Tuesday, the district court’s dismissal of each defamation claim against every remaining defendant was affirmed. Patrick Reed’s appeal of dismissed $750M lawsuit against media has also been dismissed – Golfweek

NCAA

• A California federal judge Friday approved approximately $455 million in attorney fees for class counsel in the NCAA‘s $2.78 billion class action settlement that, for the first time, will provide for revenue sharing with college athletes, with additional fees set to roll in annually for 10 years. NCAA’s $2.8B NIL Deal Nets Athletes’ Firms Over $455M In Fees – Law360
• As expected, members of the U.S. House of Representatives introduced an amended college sports bill on Thursday. The bill, which is known as the SCORE Act (Student Compensation and Opportunity through Rights and Endorsements), will likely have a significant impact on NCAA athletics if it is passed into law. SCORE Act, a bill alter that would the landscape of college sports, has been formally introduced in U.S. House – Law360

Entertainment:

MUSIC

• The Notorious B.I.G.‘s widow, R&B singer Faith Evans, is trying to seize control of his musical legacy following his mother’s death earlier this year. Notorious B.I.G. Lawsuit: Faith Evans Sued Over Catalog Sale Profits
• A FL federal judge has tossed claims from flautist and composer René Lorente alleging Colombian singer Karol G and Dutch DJ Tiësto’s song “Don’t Be Shy” copied elements of one of his songs, doubting the testimony of Lorente’s expert witness. Court Dismisses Lawsuit Claiming Copyright Infringement in Karol G and Tiësto’s Hit “Don’t Be Shy” – Vinyl Me, Please
• Music executive Armen Boladian has asked a FL federal court to sanction funk legend George Clinton, saying he was raising issues already adjudicated in their decades-long series of legal disputes. George Clinton Faces Sanctions Bid In IP Suit – Law360

LAWSUITS OF THE RICH & FAMOUS

• Bhagavan “Doc” Antle, one of the stars of the Netflix docuseries Tiger King, was sentenced to one year in prison and ordered to give up three chimpanzees, having pled guilty in SC federal court to wildlife trafficking and money laundering. ‘Tiger King’ update: ‘Doc’ Antle sentenced to 1 year in prison for animal trafficking | CNN
• A CA federal judge has reduced a jury’s $53.6 million punitive damages award for rapper T.I. and his wife, singer Tameka “Tiny” Harris, to a $1 remitter, setting up a fourth trial in the trademark infringement case if the Harrises don’t accept the remitter, which they have already said they will decline. T.I. and Tiny’s $71M OMG Girlz Doll Verdict Cut, Teeing Up Retrial
• The 10^th Circuit has rejected Joseph “Tiger King” Maldonado‘s latest bid for a new trial following the Netflix series star’s murder-for-hire conviction and 21-year sentence, saying arguments regarding supposed witness recantations were waived or unclear. Microsoft Word – 23-6207
• A CN bankruptcy judge reopened 50 Cent‘s 2015 Chapter 11 case but allowed a NY jurist to first decide whether to dismiss a woman’s $20 million injury case, setting up a potential showdown over whether a 2017 discharge order might upend the woman’s lawsuit. Curtis “50 Cent” Jackson hopes bankruptcy will kill lawsuit | Business | shreveportbossieradvocate.com