K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup (June 30, 2023)

Sports:

• Golf:
  • While the “golf world merger” navigates the various investigations looking into it, a few more details of the merger agreement between the PGA Tour, LIV Golf and the DP World Tour were obtained and, for such a monumental development in the world of sports, the agreement itself has proved to be lacking many material details (even highly reported details) in its only four pages of text; again, we’ll see how this plays out – PGA Tour, PIF agreement: LIV Golf’s future will be determined by tour leadership – The Athletic
• NCAA:
  • The NCAA’s national office reiterated its stance that the NCAA’s rules governing college athletics should supersede state laws that contradict them via a memo sent to member schools—we will see how this self-proclaimed “NCAA preemption” of state laws plays out – New NCAA rules conflict with some state laws over NIL deals – ESPN
  • The NCAA is considering shortening the length of time its transfer portal windows are open each year with the Division I Council introducing a proposal to shorten transfer windows to 30 days, down from the current 60-day period – NCAA D-I Council proposes reducing transfer portal windows to 30 days per sport – The Athletic
  • Although suspensions were handed out to NFL players for violating the NFL gambling policy discussed below, the NCAA’s Division I Council approved new reinstatement guidelines for sports betting violations that provide more leniency than in the past – NCAA approves new penalty structure for different levels of sports betting violations – The Athletic
• NFL:
  • DirecTV and the National Football League (NFL) have agreed to a multiyear renewal that for the first time includes the NFL RedZone access for DirecTV customers on all platforms, including streaming subscribers on DirecTV streaming platforms – NFL RedZone included in DirecTV package as league, platform agree to multiyear renewal – The Athletic
  • The NFL suspended four more players—three for at least the 2023 season—for violations of the league’s gambling policy – NFL suspends four players for gambling violations – ESPN
• NBA:
  • Darius Miles, former National Basketball Association (NBA) player with the Portland Trail Blazers, became the latest ex-player to admit guilt in the Manhattan U.S. Attorney’s $5 million NBA health benefits fraud crackdown, telling a New York federal judge he billed for services that he did not receive – NBA Veteran Cops To Fraudulent Billing In $5M Benefits Scam – Law360
• Soccer:
  • Hollywood actors and owners of Wrexham A.F.C. owners, Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, are joining Otro Capital and RedBird Capital Partners in an investor group taking a 24% equity stake in Alpine Racing, the Formula One team’s parent company Renault announced – Wrexham’s Hollywood owners join group buying into Alpine F1 | Reuters
  • Canada Soccer Association’s general secretary said the association may need to consider filing for bankruptcy protection as financial problems have caused various issues, with the women’s team going on strike earlier this year over pay equity issues and budget cuts while the association remains in talks with both the men’s and women’s teams over a collective bargaining agreement but a deal has yet to be agreed – Canada Soccer may consider filing for bankruptcy protection – general secretary Jason de Vos – The Athletic
  • A federal judge in New York said she’s very likely to order an early release from prison for one of the top former international soccer officials at the heart of the FIFA corruption case, in light of an “inexplicable and inexcusable” yearslong delay of medical treatment that has left him slowly going blind – Judge Looks Set To Free Ex-FIFA Exec Due To Medical Neglect – Law360
• Baseball:
  • A group of minor league baseball players hardly let the ink dry on a Puerto Rico federal judge’s order dismissing their proposed class action before filing a notice of appeal the next day for their tossed complaint that accuses MLB of paying them subpar wages and suppressing their bargaining power – Minor Leaguers Immediately Appeal MLB Antitrust Loss – Law360
  • The bankrupt owner of Bally Sports has asked a Texas bankruptcy judge to allow it to ditch what it says is a money-losing contract to broadcast the MLB games of the Arizona Diamondbacks, three weeks after it was ordered to continue payments under the deal – Bally Sports’ Parent Wants Out Of Diamondbacks TV Deal – Law360

Entertainment:

• Diageo has fired back against Sean “Diddy” Combs’ lawsuit accusing the British alcoholic beverage company of racism for typecasting his brands as beverages for “urban” consumers, referring to Diddy as an “unreliable and untrustworthy business partner” and arguing that the dispute belongs in arbitration – Diageo Says Fight With Diddy Must Be Arbitrated – Law360