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“Winter is Coming” but Piracy is Evaded
According to Polygon.com, the Emmy, Golden Globe, and Peabody winning television series Game of Thrones is making history again. Starting with the premiere on Sunday, April 12th, the entire 10-episode fifth season will simultaneously be broadcasted in 170 countries each week. The rationale: avoid the rampant piracy that has been tied to Game of Thrones […]
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A Blurred Line No Longer
According to Law360 and the Hollywood Reporter, on Tuesday, a jury found that Robin Thicke and Pharrell Williams violated Marvin Gaye’s copyright it “Got to Give It Up” in their creation of the hit song, “Blurred Lines.” After more than a year of litigation, and two and a half days of jury deliberation, Thicke and Williams have been […]
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Crowdfunding Site Encourages Athletes to Stay in School
According to ESPN, a new crowdfunding site called FanAngel will allow fans to donate money to be held for a student-athlete if he chooses to stay in school and forego the opportunity to turn professional. When an athlete chooses to stay in school, 80% of the donations will be held for the athlete in escrow, 10% […]
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Oprah “Owns Her Power”
According to the Hollywood Reporter, Oprah Winfrey was victorious in a recent trademark suit regarding the use of the phrase “Own Your Power.” The phrase, which appears on the cover of her magazine, O, The Oprah Magazine, and other various Oprah products, was allegedly a registered trademark of Simone Kelly-Brown, a motivational services entrepreneur. Kelly-Brown filed the suit […]
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Super Bowl Seating Case Set to go to Trial
On February 6, 2011, the Green Bay Packers defeated the Pittsburgh Steelers in Super Bowl XLV at Cowboys Stadium. According to the Dallas Morning News, a lawsuit was filed shortly after the game because 1,200 of the 15,000 temporary seats in the stadium were not completed in time for kickoff. Some ticketholders were forced to […]
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TiVo: The New Aereo?
According to the Hollywood Reporter, after declaring Chapter 11 bankruptcy, Aereo auctioned off its assets last week, in an effort to recover funds to repay $4.2 million of various liabilities. Interestingly, no one bought the infamous antennas that were the heart of Aereo’s business model. Rather RPX Corporation bought the company’s patents for $225,000; Alliance Technology […]
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Former LSU DC Sues Over Buyout Dispute
According to ESPN, former LSU Defensive Coordinator and current Texas A&M Defensive Coordinator John Chavis has filed suit against LSU, claiming that he does not owe his former employer a $400,000 buyout. Chavis claims that LSU sent him a letter demanding that he pay the $400,000 buyout on Jaunary 2nd, but that he did not give […]
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Blurred Lines Update
And the fight continues…. According to Law360, the lawsuit began in August 2013 when the now defendants (Robin Thicke, Pharrell Williams, and rapper T.I.) asked the court for a declaratory judgment to prove their, song “Blurred Lines,” did not infringe Marvin Gaye’s “Got to Give It Up.” This strategic move backfired, as they now find themselves […]
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Federal Court Rules Against NFL in Peterson Case
According to ESPN, U.S. District Judge David Doty has ruled that the NFL’s arbitrator “failed to meet his duty” when deciding to uphold Adrian Peterson’s suspension stemming from his child abuse case. This clears the way for Peterson to be immediately reinstated to the NFL. Judge Doty found that Harold Henderson, the NFL’s arbitrator, “simply […]
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Mashawn Lynch: A Man of Few but Lucrative Words
As a man of few words, Marshawn Lynch continues to collect and profit off of his unwillingness to engage with the media. On Super Bowl XLIX’s media day, the Seattle Seahawks running back repeatedly responded to reporters’ questions with “I’m just here so I don’t get fined.” The phrase went viral. Even Katy Perry, Super Bowl […]
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Marley Heirs Win Lanham Act Case
According to Billboard, Bob Marley’s heirs succeeded in obtaining damages from merchandisers who utilized Marley’s image without the estate’s permission. To prevent unauthorized uses of Marley’s likeness, his children created Fifty-Six Hope Road Music, a company which regulates the licensing of his image. In this case, which began in 2008, Fifty-Six Hope sued A.V.E.L.A. and other manufacturers of various […]
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Wrigley Rooftop Owners Denied Preliminary Injunction
According to the Chicago Tribune, U.S. District Judge Virginia Kendall denied a request for a preliminary injunction that would have halted construction of video boards and outfield advertising signs as part of the Chicago Cub’s $375 Million renovation plan for Wrigley Field. Rooftop operators beyond left field, who sell season tickets to watch the Cubs games from […]