Upon seeing a news story about Detroit police seizing at least $85,000 worth of counterfeit Detroit Lions merchandise over the course of the 2023 NFL season, I realized it might be worth while to explain what counterfeiting and counterfeit marks are for a few different reasons: (1) You confidently know the merchandise’s source; (2) You may be able to better gauge the merchandise’s quality; and (3) You can support the businesses that do it right! Note: I am not against screenprinters trying to make a buck, nor am I endorsing nitpicking by conglomerate organizations (which they have the right to ..read more

To those who have been with the blog in the past, WELCOME BACK! To those who are new to the conversation and the blog, WELCOME TO THE SPORTS LAW BLONDE BLOG! To all, here is your reminder that, technically, there is no such thing as “sports law,” per se. Rather, what a handful of attorneys such as myself do is specialize in understanding and zealously advocate to resolve diverse legal issues that take place within the sports industry because the law often treats sports in a special way compared to pretty much every other industry out there. Admittedly, saying, “It’s been a while!” is a severe ..read more

The 2023 MLB regular season is almost upon us! It wouldn’t surprise me if some of you are less enthusiastic than others or are just completely indifferent about it, especially since general viewership has decreased over the past three decades with fan attendance sharply decreasing whether it be due to weather, costs, personal income relative to cost-of-living, ballpark accessibility, COVID, or the real time and emotional commitment it takes to sit through a game. Commissioner Rob Manfred has been well aware of this issue & obviously wants to grow professional baseball to continue to make ..read more

For a brief overview discussion on the right of publicity, I created the slideshow below. I acknowledge that sometimes I can be a little long-winded or go on tangents, but that is only because I am incredibly passionate about the legal side of sports, and I love to share that passion and knowledge with others. In the series’ introduction blog post, I said I would “paint a picture of what the right of publicity is, legally speaking.” Well, here you go! I literally made images. Think of this as a baseline explanation without getting into the nitty gritty legal details - totally transparent, unbi ..read more

Wow. Just… wow. This feels like a weird time to be discussing college athletes’ right of publicity with everything else going on in the world, even from my perspective as a college athlete rights advocate. At the same time, what better time to have this conversation since we may finally be at the tipping point that the sports law community has been alluding to for decades. Admittedly, this is only one of numerous social inequities that needs to be addressed in the college athletics business, and while it is an area that should be addressed as soon as possible, it feels less urgent than addres ..read more

Source. Last week, Representatives Brandt Iden (R-Oshtemo) and Joe Tate (D-Detroit) presented bipartisan legislation that would allow college athletes to be compensated for their name, image, and likeness under certain circumstances in the State of Michigan. So, let’s get to dissecting this sucker and perform a legal analysis! Read House Bill No. 5217 House Bill No. 5217 Section-by-Section Intro The bill’s introduction is very brief and summarizes the legislative pur ..read more

A limerick on the NCAA's name, image, & likeness press release from October 29th The NC-double-A played its game, Said some words on pics, likeness, and name. Its words are benign, On its last lifeline; So, let’s keep making moves all the same! Read NCAA Statement ..read more

Here you will find links, news, etc. on laws proposed &/or passed (last updated on 10/16/19) FEDERAL Student Athlete Equity Act introduced by U.S. Representative Mark Walker (R-N.C.) [Follow on Twitter @RepMarkWalker] CALIFORNIA SB 206 - Collegiate athletics: student athlete compensation and representation FLORIDA HB 251 - Students Participating In Intercollegiate Athletics ILLINOIS HB3904 - Student Athlete Endorsements KENTUCKY To be introduced in 2020 session MINNESOTA To be introduced NEVADA Researching for Legislature’s February 2021 meeting NEW YORK Senate Bill S6722A PENNSYLVANIA To ..read more

#HokieNation I NEED YOUR SUPPORT!! pic.twitter.com/LDOXy4vRMV— Brock (@BrockHoffman76) April 23, 2019 In February, 6’3”, 310-pound offensive lineman Brock Hoffman agreed to transfer to and play football for Virginia Tech. He followed proper NCAA procedures and filed a waiver request to play football at Virginia Tech this upcoming season because, according to the current NCAA rules, a college athlete who transfers from a four-year college to an NCAA institution must complete one academic year of residence unless they qualify for a transfer exception or are granted a waiver from the rule. So, h ..read more