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GIOCATORI

GIOCATORI
Values: Unity, Happiness, Education

Thursday, March 3, 2011

What is Sports Law?

I'll try to sum it up and provide links to let you see for yourselves.
In the wild world of sports there is millions of billions of dollars being thrown around. There are professional sports and amateur sports. Professionals get paid and amateurs(in most cases) do not. Top professional sports that we know and love are the NFL (American football), NBA/WNBA(basketball), MLB (baseball), NHL (hockey), MLS (American soccer), NASCAR (rednecks), PGA/LPGA (golf), and I'm not sure where tennis players belong but you get the point. When we think of amateur sports you may think of things like the minor leagues in baseball but even those guys are getting paid. Amateur sports range from high school sports to Olympians, collegiate to the local parks and rec. As for skate boarders, snow boarders, wake boarder, moto-cross, ice dancers, runners, cyclist, etc., my understanding is you are an amateur until you gain sponsorship ($$). Millions of people play sports and spend billions of dollars so with that combination there needs to be rules and regulations, SPORTS LAW.

Without clicking on the link and looking for yourself I'll sum it up. The majority of sports law is focused on professional sports. Why you may ask? MONEY, chaching!
There could be an entire blog on the NFL as it is the hot topic for a pig trough of legal issues right now. oh yeah
Labor law issues as we see in the NFL . The owners and the players labor union (NFLPA) are disputing over a new collective bargaining agreement. These labor talks get ugly! Resulting in strikes or lockouts. Players strike and owners lockout. In this case the NFLPA is threatening to decertify or dissolve if an agreement can't be reached, leaving the players to handle there leagal issues with the league individually. Bad news for the NFL owners.

Antitrust laws, deal with market competitiveness and business conduct. Evident in the Sacramento Kings moving out of Sacramento. Kings owners have the right to move there team where they can make more money, be competitive. If the NFLPA decertifies major NFL players the likes of Tom Brady, Peyton Manning,and Drew Brees are preparing themselves to file antitrust lawsuits against the teams owners.

Contract Law. Duh "SHOW ME THE MONEY" Player agent bargain for players to get their paychecks with big contracts. More trouble in the NFL as the NFLPA sued for the unfair broadcasting agreements.

The NCAA governs the world of collegiate sports they have rules in place regarding player recruiting, substance abuse, academics, ensure scholarship $ is distributed evenly between the sexes. The Cam Newton controversy is an example of legal issues surrounding recruitment. His father shopped his son's playing skills for money which is a big no-no in college. There is the the BSC which determines what football teams play in the 35 different bowl games. The system is always under scrutiny, even President Obama had a look into its legalities.

Last but not least we have DRUGS. I'll just say BONDS/CLEMENS and every other athlete who never got caught.

1 comment:

Carloubat said...

Wow, I'll admit I didn't click on the links, but I certainly get your point. I was looking for something to comment on and thought oh, there probably won't be much law in sports, thank's for the education!