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On Stranger Tides: What effect will Depp’s loss in the UK courts have on his claim against Heard in the States?
On November 2nd, 2020, Justice Andrew Nicol of the High Court of England and Wales handed down judgement in Depp II v News Group Newspapers Ltd & Anor [2020] EWHC 2911 (QB) with the world watching. In what is arguably the largest and most high profile case since the introduction of the Defamation Act 2013 (“2013 […]
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Forging the Future: The questions that must be answered before the NBA’s 2020-21 season.
For the third time this year, the NBA and NBPA have extended the deadline for either side to opt-out and give 45-day notice to terminate the CBA. This time, the deadline has been pushed to October 30. The current CBA was established in 2016 and was set to run seven years, with the opportunity to […]
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Cancel the Wedding
If you love it, put a ring on it. Like engagements, the closing of a deal is often cause for celebration and joy. Last November, LVMH cinched a deal to acquire Tiffany & Co. for an eye-watering $16.6 billion. Quite an expensive engagement indeed, the largest ever in the luxury sector. But, like a groom […]
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“Money”Ball is Back
A new player has entered the sports acquisition industry, and a familiar face is involved Billy Beane’s new project seems to be the antithesis to his infamous “Moneyball” scheme. Private-equity firm RedBird Capital Partners, with whom Beane is now partnering, has not shied away from making splashy, lucrative acquisitions in the sports industry. RedBird, through […]
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NFL Catches COVID
The NFL caught its first COVID outbreak of the young season after the Tennessee Titans confirmed eight positive test results among players and other personnel. The Titans immediately halted in-person activities, as did the Minnesota Vikings, the Titans’ previous opponent. As of Thursday morning, the Titans had one additional player test positive, putting their Week […]
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The State of College Sports, Part 2: NIL and Alston
College sports are in a state of upheaval. Recent legal outcomes and legislative maneuvers have continued to upset the control of the NCAA as pandemic-induced turmoil has thrown competition schedules completely out of whack. The state of college sports is in flux, and this is the perfect time to check in on the industry as […]
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The State of College Sports, Part 1: Return-to-Play
College sports are in a state of upheaval. Recent legal outcomes and legislative maneuvers have continued to upset the control of the NCAA as pandemic-induced turmoil has thrown competition schedules completely out of whack. The state of college sports is in flux, and this is the perfect time to check in on the industry as […]
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Six More Years of Turducken: EA Sports and NFL Agree to Extend Madden Until 2026
Eli Nachmany is the Managing Editor (Print) of the Harvard Journal of Sports & Entertainment Law and a rising second-year student at Harvard Law School (Class of 2022). Madden NFL is not going anywhere. This week, the National Football League (“NFL”) and the NFL Players Association (“NFLPA”) struck a deal with Electronic Arts (“EA”) […]
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Forced Blackout: What Contract Law Tells Us About Coronavirus and the NBA Broadcast Deals
After Utah Jazz Center Rudy Gobert tested positive for the novel coronavirus known as COVID-19, the National Basketball Association (NBA) suspended its 2019-20 season indefinitely. The move has major implications for the league’s broadcast partners, who stand to lose a serious amount of advertising revenue without games to air. Having no NBA games also undercuts […]
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Lucky 7s: NFL Looks to Expand Playoffs to Seven Teams per Conference in New CBA
ESPN’s Adam Schefter is reporting that the National Football League (NFL) is considering some changes to its playoff structure in the new Collective Bargaining Agreement. The NFL’s CBA could be finalized as soon as next week, and it appears that the biggest change will be expansion of the playoffs from 12 to 14 teams. Traditionally, […]
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Disney Extends “Baby Yoda” Infringement Battle on Etsy Website
Disney has unleashed a wave of takedown notices targeting vendors who are selling merchandise featuring “Baby Yoda,” the viral breakout character from its new streaming series, The Mandalorian, on DIY sales site, Etsy. The studio becomes the latest company to struggle to protect its intellectual property on the site, despite its formidable legal resources and […]
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A Wild Card Proposal: Should the NFL Get Rid of Divisions and Change its Playoff Format?
Another NFL season, another chance that (as of the start of Week 15) an 8-8 or 7-9 makes it into the playoffs (and hosts a game on Wild Card weekend). One of the Dallas Cowboys/Philadelphia Eagles will take the NFC East title this season, and it is possible that a record under .500 will be […]