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October 28, 2011

Wanna Be a Good Sport?

~ written by Justin Hunt, Chair, Sports Law Committee

In an industry defined by fame and fortune, the solution to any undesirable outcome or unfavorable result has become quite simple: sue somebody. Sports leagues also rely on attorneys to resolve league disputes, negotiate the terms of collective bargaining agreements, and secure financing for the construction of sports venues. Attorneys are everywhere in the industry, and our involvement is only going to expand with the projected increase in revenues.

You are probably thinking to yourself “That’s great. Attorneys are involved in sports, but not in Columbus, Ohio.” In the past four years, Columbus has witnessed the construction of a state-of-the-art minor league ballpark in Huntington Park, a laundry list of NCAA rules violations at Ohio State, and the hardships associated with maintaining a professional sports organization in the Columbus Blue Jackets. Columbus is very much involved in the sports industry.

So why join the Sports Law Committee? Unless you graduated from an Ivy League law school and worked at a top-five international law firm, married into a professional sports organization owner’s family, or own a professional sports franchise, the reality is that you will need an expansive network to break into the industry. This network begins with an understanding of the sports industry, which this Committee strives to accomplish. I encourage you to join our committee, start your network, and begin your journey into the sports world.

Our October meeting topic was Hiring, Firing, and Stay the Heck Out: Lockouts, Strikes, and Labor Stoppages in Professional Sports featuring speaker Edmund Brown, Associate at Ulmer & Berne, Former Ohio State Football Player.

Next up, November 30, noon to 1:00pm, the topic: Use My Image For What? Right of Publicity and the Sports Industry. Speaker: Ron Katz, Partner at Manatt, Phelps & Phillips.