Our sports industry team has the experience and knowledge to ensure our clients thrive in a dynamic landscape, where the financial stakes and the scope of regulations are constantly increasing. Members of our team regularly represent intercollegiate and professional coaches, players, athletic directors, team administrators, sports agents and franchises in a full spectrum of legal matters ranging from first contracts to complex renegotiations, disputes, litigation and beyond.
The legal arena is nearly as much a part of the sports world as is the field of play. Headlines centering on the likes of Title IX issues, NCAA investigations, banned substances, eligibility disputes, and player-owner conflicts regularly dominate the sports page. Members of our team possess legal backgrounds as diverse as the issues they handle. Our clients have included an MLB MVP and an NFL Franchise Player, among other coaches and athletes from the Olympics, NCAA, NBA, NFL, MLB, PGA Tour and NASCAR.
Our distinctive strengths include:
Coaches’ employment contracts
Employment and immigration issues, including O visas for athletes
NCAA compliance and disciplinary matters
Player contract negotiations
Player legal representation re business and personal affairs
Negotiation of apparel and product deals for athletes and universities
Title IX Training
Title IX Audits
Title IX, CLERY and related statutory compliance
Agent regulations
Marketing and advertising endeavors
Intellectual property protection
Privacy rights and protection of rights to name and licensing agreements
Collective bargaining agreements
Player disputes with agents and clubs
Domestic relations matters
Stadium construction contract negotiations
Professional sport franchise acquisitions and sales
Representation of coaches and athletic administrators in professional and personal affairs
Negotiation of coach and athletic administrator employment and endorsement agreements
Negotiation of product, game guarantee and commercial agreements
Representation of Universities and colleges in the negotiation of employment and commercial agreements
Represented current and former NFL players regarding injuries, including concussions
Provided counsel regarding tax and estate planning to athletes and agents
Represented clients in matters associated with alleged NCAA violations
Represented an Olympic athlete in immigration and permanent residency issues
Represented professional athletes in disputes with agents, and have represented agents in disputes with players
Represented agents in investigations by players associations
Represented PGA Tour players in disputes with sponsors
Represented professional athletes with domestic relations, criminal, league discipline (alleged use of banned substance), and financial issues (including bankruptcy)
Represented Major League Baseball player in litigation against Japanese baseball team
Represented the interests of prominent football coach in his capacity as an investor
Represented severely injured NCAA athlete in a dispute over insurance benefits under the NCAA catastrophic injury policy
Represented NCAA baseball player in obtaining release to play for another institution
Represented NCAA basketball player in eligibility dispute
Provide general counsel services to a minor league soccer team and the Virginia State Golf Association
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, now is a timely opportunity to review a recent Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and state enforcement action. Although the action involved a breast cancer charity fundraiser, it serves as a cautionary tale for all charities, nonprofits, and their professional fundraisers.
With October being Breast Cancer Awareness month, now is a timely opportunity to review a recent Federal Trade Commission (“FTC”) and state enforcement action. Although the action involved a breast cancer charity fundraiser, it serves as a cautionary tale for all charities, nonprofits, and their professional fundraisers.
On Friday, June 6, 2025, US District Judge Claudia Wilken of the United States District Court, Northern District of California, Oakland Division, finally approved the $2.8 billion settlement agreement arising from Case No. 4:20-cv-03919-CW In re: College Athlete NIL Litigation (“Settlement Agreement”), a class action lawsuit against the NCAA and the Power Five Conferences challenging their rules restricting payments to student-athletes, including payments related to student-athletes names, images, and likenesses (NIL) for commercial purposes. The Settlement Agreement will reshape college sports by allowing universities to pay student-athletes directly starting July 1, 2025, effectively ending the NCAA’s longstanding argument that student-athletes are amateurs and should, therefore, not be paid.
On Friday, June 6, 2025, US District Judge Claudia Wilken of the United States District Court, Northern District of California, Oakland Division, finally approved the $2.8 billion settlement agreement arising from Case No. 4:20-cv-03919-CW In re: College Athlete NIL Litigation (“Settlement Agreement”), a class action lawsuit against the NCAA and the Power Five Conferences challenging their rules restricting payments to student-athletes, including payments related to student-athletes names, images, and likenesses (NIL) for commercial purposes. The Settlement Agreement will reshape college sports by allowing universities to pay student-athletes directly starting July 1, 2025, effectively ending the NCAA’s longstanding argument that student-athletes are amateurs and should, therefore, not be paid.
On May 23, 2024, the NCAA and the Power 5 conferences announced a $2.8 billion settlement that was reached in several antitrust class action lawsuits concerning payment for college athletes. The settlement marked a watershed moment, effectively sounding the death knell of “amateurism,” the longstanding argument by the NCAA for why college athletes should not be paid in Division I college sports.
On May 23, 2024, the NCAA and the Power 5 conferences announced a $2.8 billion settlement that was reached in several antitrust class action lawsuits concerning payment for college athletes. The settlement marked a watershed moment, effectively sounding the death knell of “amateurism,” the longstanding argument by the NCAA for why college athletes should not be paid in Division I college sports.
On February 5, 2024, the NLRB ruled that Dartmouth University’s Men’s Basketball team players are employees of the school, within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act, clearing the way for an election that may result in the first-ever certified labor union for NCAA athletes.
On February 5, 2024, the NLRB ruled that Dartmouth University’s Men’s Basketball team players are employees of the school, within the meaning of the National Labor Relations Act, clearing the way for an election that may result in the first-ever certified labor union for NCAA athletes.
On December 15, 2022, The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) handed down a finding of merit in Case 31-CA-290326 brought by the National College Players Association (“NCPA”) on behalf of men’s and women’s basketball and football players that charged the University of Southern California (“USC”), the PAC-12 Conference (“PAC-12”) and the National Collegiate Athletics Association (“NCAA”) with an unfair labor practice, alleging they had systematically misclassified players as “student-athlete” nonemployees instead of employees to prevent the athletes from realizing their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
On December 15, 2022, The National Labor Relations Board (“NLRB”) handed down a finding of merit in Case 31-CA-290326 brought by the National College Players Association (“NCPA”) on behalf of men’s and women’s basketball and football players that charged the University of Southern California (“USC”), the PAC-12 Conference (“PAC-12”) and the National Collegiate Athletics Association (“NCAA”) with an unfair labor practice, alleging they had systematically misclassified players as “student-athlete” nonemployees instead of employees to prevent the athletes from realizing their rights under the National Labor Relations Act.
The NCAA investigative process can be difficult to maneuver. However, having knowledge of and understanding the Bylaws used by NCAA staff responsible for investigations and processing is key. While this article will not address all the Bylaws involved in the investigative process, it will identify some important Bylaws with which individuals and institutions should be familiar as part of the NCAA infractions process.
The NCAA investigative process can be difficult to maneuver. However, having knowledge of and understanding the Bylaws used by NCAA staff responsible for investigations and processing is key. While this article will not address all the Bylaws involved in the investigative process, it will identify some important Bylaws with which individuals and institutions should be familiar as part of the NCAA infractions process.
The recent news of athletic department recruitment scandals - accepting bribes to gain admissions using dedicated roster spots for non-athletes - and for the practice to so easily escape detection is diagnostic of a greater issue within the results-oriented world of collegiate athletics.[1] An environment conducive to ethical misconduct may exist where rules are stretched, improprieties are overlooked and whistleblowing only occurs at great personal risk, both for athletic department employees, as well as students. Inadequate oversight of unethical misconduct can result in severe consequences, such as the recent and tragic death of a University of Maryland athlete. In that case, an entire University Board was forced to functionally admit a major athletic program oversight. Schools and universities must take steps now to ensure that oversight of ethical misconduct, particularly in the athletic department, is being handled appropriately.
The recent news of athletic department recruitment scandals - accepting bribes to gain admissions using dedicated roster spots for non-athletes - and for the practice to so easily escape detection is diagnostic of a greater issue within the results-oriented world of collegiate athletics.[1] An environment conducive to ethical misconduct may exist where rules are stretched, improprieties are overlooked and whistleblowing only occurs at great personal risk, both for athletic department employees, as well as students. Inadequate oversight of unethical misconduct can result in severe consequences, such as the recent and tragic death of a University of Maryland athlete. In that case, an entire University Board was forced to functionally admit a major athletic program oversight. Schools and universities must take steps now to ensure that oversight of ethical misconduct, particularly in the athletic department, is being handled appropriately.
The issue of gender equality in sports is front and center. While not a new issue, recent lawsuits are challenging the practice of paying female athletes substantially less for similar work than male athletes.
In 2017, the history of gender inequity in sports was highlighted in the motion picture, Battle of the Sexes. The film depicted the epic, nationally televised, 1973 tennis match between female tennis star Billie Jean King and her male counterpart Bobby Riggs, portrayed as a male chauvinist. King was the first female tennis player to win over $100,000 in a year prior to this epic match. The tennis match between these players sent an important message that women deserved the same amount of prize money and respect as males. As set forth in this article, this message continues to resonate today in sports.
The issue of gender equality in sports is front and center. While not a new issue, recent lawsuits are challenging the practice of paying female athletes substantially less for similar work than male athletes.
In 2017, the history of gender inequity in sports was highlighted in the motion picture, Battle of the Sexes. The film depicted the epic, nationally televised, 1973 tennis match between female tennis star Billie Jean King and her male counterpart Bobby Riggs, portrayed as a male chauvinist. King was the first female tennis player to win over $100,000 in a year prior to this epic match. The tennis match between these players sent an important message that women deserved the same amount of prize money and respect as males. As set forth in this article, this message continues to resonate today in sports.
Whiteford Taylor & Preston announced today that preeminent Richmond-based litigators Vernon E. Inge, Jr., and Corey Simpson Booker have joined the firm, resident in its new Richmond office. Mr. Inge is a commercial litigation, bankruptcy and sports law attorney with a national profile. Ms. Booker is a highly experienced commercial and bankruptcy litigator. The Richmond office is the firm’s sixteenth and, along with offices in Northern Virginia and Roanoke, its third in Virginia.
Whiteford Taylor & Preston announced today that preeminent Richmond-based litigators Vernon E. Inge, Jr., and Corey Simpson Booker have joined the firm, resident in its new Richmond office. Mr. Inge is a commercial litigation, bankruptcy and sports law attorney with a national profile. Ms. Booker is a highly experienced commercial and bankruptcy litigator. The Richmond office is the firm’s sixteenth and, along with offices in Northern Virginia and Roanoke, its third in Virginia.
