So this is a post 35 plus years in the making. It is a distinct honor and privilege to write this profile of UB Law alum and Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame inductee Class of 2023 Gerry Meehan, my mentor and my esteemed friend. Gerry is the consummate role model in this era in... Continue Reading →
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR UB SPORTS LAW CONCENTRATION CLASS OF 2023!
CONGRATULATIONS TO OUR UB SPORTS LAW STUDENTS ON THEIR GRADUATION TODAY!!! The UB Center for the Advancement of Sport is especially excited for this Class of 2023. They began law school remotely during the pandemic, yet persevered, learned so much, taught each other and their faculty even more, and ultimately as a group achieved tremendous... Continue Reading →
Deshaun Watson’s Paltry Suspension Should Be a Call To Arms
Photo credit: USA Today So after months of debate, a massive investigation, a three day hearing and 24 - repeat TWENTY-FOUR - civil suits alleging sexual harassment and assault by Deshaun Watson, NFL disciplinary officer Sue L. Robinson concluded in 15 pages that Watson's conduct deserved only a paltry 6 game suspension. Robinson's justification for... Continue Reading →
TITLE IX TURNS 50; A CELEBRATION OR A MID-LIFE CRISIS?
The UB Law Sports Forum will publish a series of posts in commemoration of the upcoming 50th anniversary of the passage of Title IX starting Sunday, June 19th. The articles, written by UB Sports Law students, cover a number of aspects of Title IX ranging from pay discrepancies to transgender issues. It is important to... Continue Reading →
Finally! US Women’s Soccer Scores Big Win with CBA
"It only took this long?" That was the reaction of my teenage daughter to the news that US Women's Soccer has FINALLY achieved its objective of equal pay with the men's team. The great news: the US Women's & Men's Soccer Teams have each ratified a collective bargaining agreement that actually does provide equality in... Continue Reading →
TODAY’S THE DAY!
Congratulations to our 2022 UB Sports Law graduates on their commencement day! This very special group not only survived law school in a pandemic, they flourished. Their efforts helped further strengthen our Sports Law program with innovative virtual events featuring speakers such as Harvard Basketball Coach Tommy Amaker, Stanford Women's Basketball Coach Tara VanDerveer, and... Continue Reading →
We have a deal!
The long awaited disclosure of terms for the public-private partnership investment into a new stadium for the Buffalo Bills brought a collective sigh of relief to fans across Western New York this morning. After NFL owners voted unanimously to approve a $200 million loan to the Bills as part of a funding package of $1.4... Continue Reading →
Are Student-Athletes Employees? The 3rd Circuit Will Decide
Image credit: USA Today Finally, a court of law will decide the most important issue in the history of collegiate athletics: are students who participate in college varsity sports employees? The term "student-athlete" was coined by the NCAA in the 1950s to ward off potential workers' compensation claims by student-athletes. Over time, the phrase became... Continue Reading →
Minor League Clubs Sue MLB, Challenging the Anti-trust Exemption
It has finally happened. After months of conjecture, debate and then a lengthy period of silence, several minor league baseball clubs that were eliminated as part of MLB’s restructuring have filed suit against MLB under the anti-trust laws. As a professor of sports law, one of my favorite topics is MLB’s historic anti-trust decision... Continue Reading →