Michael McCann

Mark Sanchez Faces Felony Charge With Fox Contract at Risk Mark Sanchez faces a felony charge after an altercation with a 69-year-old man. Sanchez's legal situation also includes civil and contractual issues.

Mark Sanchez now faces a felony battery charge in a situation that could also lead to civil litigation and questions about his employment contract: I discuss in a new @sportico.bsky.social article: www.sportico.com/law/analysis...

Big Ten Private Equity Deal Could Expand NCAA Legal Controversies As the Big Ten reportedly is set to sign a multi-billion dollar private capital deal, potential legal claims of athletes in the Big Ten could change.

From a business perspective, a marriage of private equity and the Big Ten would make sense.

From a legal perspective? It would strengthen arguments that college athletes are employees and, under antitrust law, are a labor market.

My @sportico.bsky.social column:
www.sportico.com/law/analysis...

NASCAR Seeks Summary Judgment Against 23XI, Front Row NASCAR on Friday filed a motion for summary judgment against 23XI Racing and Front Row Motorsports, but the filing is unlikely to end the case.

New: NASCAR tonight files a motion for summary judgment in the antitrust case against 23XI & Front Row. NASCAR includes declarations from teams' owners saying the current system works well for the sport. Don't expect the judge to grant summary judgment to either side. My @sportico.bsky.social take:

Tatis Loses Arbitration, Ordered to Pay $3.7M to Big League Advance San Diego Padres star Fernando Tatis Jr. has been ordered by an arbitrator to pay Big League Advance $3.74 million.

Some baseball and the law news: Big League Advance defeats Fernando Tatis Jr. in the arbitration over his investment contract. Arbitrator says he must pay BLA $3.74 million. BLA petitions court in D.C. to enforce award. I have details + legal analysis at @sportico.bsky.social:

NFL Rehearing Denied in Jon Gruden Case as Key Choices Await A court rejects a request to rehear whether Jon Gruden's case agains the NFL should be dismissed to arbitration, but that doesn't mean Gruden has won.

The Supreme Court of Nevada denies the NFL a rehearing in the Jon Gruden case. But that doesn't mean Gruden will win his case. Will Gruden and the NFL settle to avoid pretrial discovery? What about Flores v. NFL, which also involves arbitration? My @sportico.bsky.social take:

Diego Pavia’s Court Win Upheld Before Vandy’s Big Bama Game The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit says more evidence and data is needed to understand the college football market in Pavia's case.

Diego Pavia's win against the NCAA over eligibility upheld by the Sixth Circuit, but on mootness grounds—judges rule he already got what he wanted (a chance to play this fall). Two of the judges write concurring opinions, with one saying Congress should step in. My take for @sportico.bsky.social:

Very good question (and related to your research/paper). NIL would be a lot more limited for him, but I'd need to look closely at how Santa Clara handles international athletes and NIL.

NCAA G League Eligibility Retreat Marks Amateurism’s Latest Defeat The NCAA allowing a G League player to play in D-I highlights how a professional sports background is no longer disqualifying for college athletes.

Is the day coming where former NBA, MLB and NHL players, ex-pro soccer players and other pros become college athletes? It's not so far-fetched, especially with universities badly in need of students due to the "enrollment cliff" and the lure of NIL and revenue share: www.sportico.com/law/analysis...

Kawhi Leonard Seeks to Impeach Sponsor in Salary-Cap Flap Kawhi Leonard disputes allegations he signed an endorsement deal intended to enrich him as part of his Clippers employment. Will his defense work?

Kawhi Leonard has finally spoken on allegations his endorsement deal with then-Clippers sponsor Aspiration was part of a salary cap circumvention scheme. He was blunt and brief. I noticed he used the word "fraud" several times. That signals a defense strategy. My take for @sportico.bsky.social:

Kalshi’s Parlay Breakthrough Happens Quietly in the Night Users could place bet parlay bets before two "Monday Night Football" games.

Kalshi launched custom parlays last night, a long-awaited feat one would expect the company to shout from the rooftops.

Instead, there has been complete radio silence.

College Sports Bill Flounders in House as Legal Challenges Brew As the SCORE Act faces an uncertain political path, there are reasons to expect it could be challenged in court if it became law.

If it became law, the SCORE Act would also be subject to a bevy of potential legal challenges, including those based on states' rights (employment at a public university is a question of state law, not federal law), Equal Protection (treating college athletes worse/differently) and other claims:

NCAA G League Eligibility Retreat Marks Amateurism’s Latest Defeat The NCAA allowing a G League player to play in D-I highlights how a professional sports background is no longer disqualifying for college athletes.

If a former G League player—and G Leaguers are employees who are members of a union—is eligible to play college hoops, who else might be eligible to play college sports?

My weekly @sportico.bsky.social sports law column on the profound implications of Thierry Darlan going from pro to college:

Ex-Michigan Football Players Lose $50M Case Over Lost NIL Money A federal judge has dismissed another lawsuit brought by ex-NCAA athletes over denial of NIL while they played. This one involves Michigan football.

Braylon Edwards and 3 other former University of Michigan Football players lose $50M lawsuit against the NCAA over unpaid NIL while they played in the 2000s. This is the fourth lawsuit of its kind to lose, though maybe appellate courts will have a different view. My take for @sportico.bsky.social:

Pittsburgh Jock Tax Violates State Constitution, Court Rules The Supreme Court of Pennsylvania holds Pittsburgh's jock tax, which taxes visiting athletes at a higher rate, to violate the state's constitution.

NFL, NHL and MLB players who play in Pittsburgh as visiting teams' players will benefit from PA Supreme Court holding the city's jock tax violates the state's constitution. @sportico.bsky.social has more on the ruling, including why it doesn't mean other states' and cities' jock taxes are illegal:

Excerpts from www.sportico.com/law/analysis...

Riley Gaines Suit Over Transgender College Athletes Mostly Dismissed A federal judge has dismissed most of Riley Gaines' case against the NCAA over transgender athlete eligibility, though the Title IX claim advances.

Riley Gaines and other plaintiffs in their case against the NCAA over transgender athlete eligibility see most of lawsuit dismissed by a federal judge, though Title IX claims advance to pretrial discovery. @daniellibit.bsky.social and I discuss the ruling for @sportico.bsky.social:

Had a blast at Harvard Law School yesterday—great to speak with Jon Hanson and Charles McIntyre on our panel on the NCAA, amateurism and sports betting and then co-taught Peter Carfagna's sports law course. Both Jon and Charlie are super tall, I'm definitely the point guard in that group! 😄

Jets’ Sauce Gardner Wins Attorneys’ Fees Over X Beef With Bills Fan Sauce Gardner's interaction with a Buffalo Bills an on X led to him being sued for defamation but his win could protect other celebrities.

New York Jets start Sauce Gardner is awarded over $50K in attorneys' fees after defeating a lawsuit brought by a Buffalo Bills fan against Gardner and Barstool over his posts on X. A really interesting case about how athletes interact with strangers on social media. My @sportico.bsky.social take:

ESPN, NFL Try to Sack Gastineau’s $100M ’30-for-30′ Lawsuit Gastineau's case against ESPN and the NFL has major flaws, the network and league argue in a new court filing.

ESPN and the NFL team up to argue that Mark Gastineau’s $100 million lawsuit over a 30-for-30 that featured video of him confronting Brett Favre about the NFL sack record should be sacked. Right of publicity and newsworthiness are key. I have details + analysis for @sportico.bsky.social:

Excited to join Jon Hanson and Charlie McIntyre tomorow for a discussion at Harvard Law School on the NCAA and sports betting.

Awesome catching up with my friend and fellow sports attorney, the great @warrenkzola.bsky.social, at Cambridge Common today.

San Diego State Lineman Bests NCAA as Judge Grants Injunction San Diego State Defensive lineman Tatuo Martinson wins an injunction against the NCAA as a federal judge sharply criticizes NCAA eligibility rules.

U.S. District Judge Richard Boulware just issued a restraining order against NCAA in an antitrust case, allowing STatuo Martinson to keep playing football beyond NCAA eligibility rules. Boulware had maybe the most critical language I've seen of a judge with regard to NCAA eligibility rules:

Sports Broadcasting Act May Be Too Archaic to Save College Sports The Sports Broadcasting Act is a 1961 law that doesn't apply to the vast majority of sports broadcasting in 2025. It's not a panacea for NCAA sports.

Extending the pro sports protections of the Sports Broadcasting Act to college sports is one idea being discussed. There's a problem: the SBA does very little these days for sports on TV since it doesn't apply to cable, paid satellite or streaming. My weekly @sportico.bsky.social sports law column:

Arizona State’s Poa Defeats Motion to Dismiss NIL Immigration Suit A federal judge has denied the government's motion to dismiss Last-Tear Poa's lawsuit for a change in visa status to more readily sign NIL deals.

International college athletes are limited in earning NIL money due to visa restrictions, but ASU basketball player Last-Tear Poa, who is from Australia, has brought a federal case that could change that. She gets past the feds at motion to dismiss stage. I discsuss for @sportico.bsky.social: