K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup (November 21, 2023)

Sports:

• Manhattan federal prosecutors announced Wednesday that a 19-year-old from Madison, Wisconsin, copped to hijacking tens of thousands of DraftKings Sportsbook user accounts to sell account access and steal hundreds of thousands of dollars. Teen Pleads Guilty To Hacking DraftKings Accounts – Law360

NCAA

• Washington State University and Oregon State University, the last schools remaining in the PAC-12 Conference starting in 2024, won a preliminary injunction in a Washington state court giving them full control of the conference’s governance and assets. Judge Gives Last 2 Pac-12 Schools Control Of Conference – Law360
• University of Michigan drops lawsuit against the Big Ten Conference and accepts the league’s suspension of head coach Jim Harbaugh imposed last week for his alleged role in illegal signal-stealing by a member of his staff. UMich Drops Suit, Harbaugh Accepts Suspension – Law360
• The fired former head coach of the Mitchell College women’s lacrosse team says he lost his job under a vague policy amid paranoia surrounding incidents that never involved him, all because he raised purported NCAA rule violations and complained of an allegedly improper relationship between an assistant and an athlete. Fired Coach Accuses Conn. College Of Sex Discrimination – Law360
• The Ohio Casino Control Commission said Wednesday it plans to ban former University of Alabama head baseball coach Brad Bohannon, who is accused of sharing nonpublic information about the team with an associate who then used that knowledge to place a wager. Ohio Gambling Overseer To Ban Ex-Alabama Baseball Coach – Law360

NFL

• Chicago Bears rookie Gervon Dexter drops his suit against an investment group that he accused of scamming him in an NIL rights deal while enrolled at the University of Florida, after the company had pushed to arbitrate the dispute. Chicago Bears Rookie Drops NIL Suit Amid Arbitration Push – Law360

GOLF

• As the PGA Tour continues to negotiate with Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund on a new golf venture, it is also entertaining bids from outside investors. The PGA and Saudi Arabian new golf venture have set a December 31, 2023, deadline to reach a deal. PGA Tour Courts Outside Investors As Saudi Talks Trudge On – Law 360
• Unsealed documents in the most likely resolved legal dispute between Saudi Arabian backed LIV Golf and the PGA Tour reveal thar LIV’s early organizers were cognizant their efforts would create waves and possibly be perceived in a negative light. Unsealed Docs Show LIV Knew Launch Would Touch Nerves – Law360

NBA

• Manhattan jury finds former Boston Celtics forward Glen “Big Baby” Davis guilty on health care fraud, wire fraud, conspiracy to make false statements, and conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud. Former Detroit Pistons point guard Will Bynum was found guilty of conspiracy to make false statements but acquitted of conspiracy to commit health care and wire fraud. Ex-NBA Players Guilty On Most Counts In Health Fraud Case – Law360

SOCCER

• Everton FC was hit with a 10-point season deduction for failing to generate revenue as required by the Premier League’s financial rules, according to a league statement Friday, in a decision that puts the English soccer club in danger of relegation to a lower division. Everton FC Faces Relegation Over Penalty For Lost Revenue – Law360

Entertainment:

MUSIC

• A Live Nation Entertainment Inc. shareholder has sued in federal court, alleging executives concealed the company’s anti-competitive practices, including pressuring venues to use Ticketmaster over other ticketing platforms, conduct that only came to light thanks to a DOJ probe. Live Nation Shareholder Says Execs Hid Antitrust Misconduct – Law360
• An oboist who performed with the Opera’s orchestra for more than thirty years has sued the company in NY federal court, accusing it of imposing a rule that illegally restricts access to retirement benefits for extra musicians. Met Opera Hit With ERISA Suit Over Extra Musician Rule – Law360
• Guns N’ Roses has been sued by its former touring photographer, who says she hasn’t been paid for some of the photos the band uses to promote its ongoing tours and accuses one of its newer managers of cutting her fees as part of a practice of “pervasive sexual harassment.” Guns N’ Roses Has An Appetite For Infringement, Suit Says – Law360
• R. Kelly claims the federal government allowed “countless” prison officers to access his private information, including communications with his lawyers, while he was detained in Chicago awaiting trial for sex crimes, according to a lawsuit filed in IL federal court. R. Kelly Says Federal Prison Officers Leaked Private Info – Law360
• A NY appeals court agreed to pause Sean “Diddy” Combs‘ racial discrimination suit against Diageo while the liquor company appeals a lower court ruling on its motion for arbitration. Diageo Gets Pause In Diddy Racism Suit – Law360
• Sean “Diddy” Combs and R&B singer Cassie have already settled her sexual abuse lawsuit, one day after she filed a complaint in NY federal court accusing the hip-hop mogul of rape, physical abuse and sex trafficking, according to statements made by both parties. Sean Combs Settles Cassie’s Sex Abuse Suit After 1 Day – Law360
• Rapper Rod Wave has been granted a protective order in NC federal court preventing the sale of bootlegged merchandise outside his concert venues ahead of his performance in Charlotte. Rapper Rod Wave Can Seize Counterfeit Merchandise On Tour – Law360
• Music publishers who filed a copyright suit against artificial intelligence developer Anthropic PBC have urged a federal judge to order the company to stop using songwriters’ compositions to train its large-language models, saying that if the court waits until the litigation concludes, “the damage will be done.” Music Publishers Want Their Songs Cut From AI Training – Law360

TELEVISION & FILM

• CA’s video service law was designed to be broad enough to encompass streaming services such as Netflix and Hulu, and both fall under the law, the city of Lancaster, CA, told a state appeals court, saying the companies owe the city service provider fees. Netflix, Hulu Owe Video Service Fees, Calif. City Argues – Law360
• A videographer is accusing HBO and Sky UK of ripping off his video readout of a firefighter’s call responding to the Chernobyl disaster for the critically acclaimed historical miniseries Chernobyl, arguing in NY federal court that the show featured the same translation error he had made. Translation Flub Proves ‘Chernobyl’ Uses Stolen IP, Suit Says – Law360
• Members of the House Select Committee on the Chinese Communist Party sent a letter to Apple CEO Tim Cook on Wednesday, asking the company to brief the committee on the cancellation of comedian Jon Stewart‘s streaming show, citing concerns that the decision was driven by the company’s relationship with China. Lawmakers Query Apple Over Jon Stewart Show Cancellation – Law360
• Pointing to weak results from The Walt Disney Co. streaming services despite upbeat company claims, a NJ investment firm has sued its top officers and directors in DE’s Court of Chancery for breaches of fiduciary duty and insider trading, among other claims. Disney Board, Execs Sued In Del. Amid Disney+ Struggles – Law360

ART & FASHION

• The former executive director of a FL art museum raided by the FBI for allegedly showcasing forged Basquiat paintings has countersued the museum, saying that its lawsuit is a bid to scapegoat him. Ex-Fla. Museum Director Countersues In Fake Basquiat Saga – Law360

MEANWHILE, IN HOLLYWOOD…

• Amid an oral argument that aired profane insults, the 2nd Circuit pondered whether a “reasonable observer” would believe unsupported claims made by the politically incorrect staffers of the Barstool Sports website and blog that comedian/actor Michael Rapaport had herpes and abused an ex-girlfriend. 2nd Circ. Ponders ‘Reasonable’ View Of Barstool’s Dirty Jabs – Law360