Sports and the Law: Examining the Legal Evolution of America's Three "Major Leagues"

The book, the second West-published Sports Law book to be written by the former Chief Legal Officer at IMG, synthesizes the major legal precedents that have shaped the evolution of America's three ;major leagues; -- Major League Baseball (MLB); the National Football Leaugue (NFL); and the National Basketball Association (NBA). In so doing, it traces the impact of MLB's ;antitrust exemption in juxtaposition to the non-statutory labor exemption that applies to the NFL and NBA. In particular, the legal history of each league's Constitution/By Laws; Collective Bargaining Agreements (and related work stoppages); and its Uniform Player Contracts are examined through illustrative hypothetical group negotiation and drafting exercises. Initial legal challenges to each of the (now familiar concepts) including the amateur draft, free agency, age eligibility, and the leagues players intellectual property rights; demonstrate the unpredictable outcomes created by the intrusion of external legal authorities (e.g., courts, arbitrators, etc.) upon the current structure of each league and its related Commissioner's authority. The book concludes by recounting the tortured history of franchise relocation law, as well as the importance of first obtaining, and then carefully drafting, a naming rights agreement for any newly constructed major league venue.