Ohio State & Others React to O'Bannon Pressures by Limiting Jersey Sales

If - heaven forbid - you desire to purchase an Ohio State University football jersey this season, your options will be limited. Very limited. By "limited," I honestly mean you will only be able to buy either #1 or #15. OSU told Nike to only produce jerseys with these two numbers, and retailers can only sell jerseys with these two numbers.

Read More
New California Law Says Professional Sports Cheerleaders are Employees

"Cheerleaders" of professional sports teams in California - and maybe soon enough in other states - have something to cheer about. As a respectable move by California governor Jerry Brown on July 15, the new law in the state affords these cheerleaders basic employee rights such as minimum wage, overtime pay, sick leave, and the other employment protections that the rest of the team staff has available. Gonzalez introduced this bill in January after Caitlin Yates of the Oakland Raiderettes claimed, essentially, wage-theft. Among her allegations were failing to pay cheerleaders minimum wage (being paid the equivalent of $5 per hour) as well as failing to compensate for travel costs, public appearances, and rehersals.

Read More
MLBPA & Klean Athlete Partnership Offers a Way to Keep Baseball Clean

IN THE ENCOURAGING WORDS OF CELINE DION, "A NEW DAY HAS COME," OR AT LEAST WE HOPE SO FOR THE SAKE OF THE MLB'S CREDIBILITY IN THE FUTURE. THE BEST PART IS THAT IT IS JUST IN TIME FOR THE ALL-STAR BREAK AND VARIOUS HONORABLE EVENTS, LIKE THE HOME RUN DERBY, BEING HELD THIS WEEK.

Indeed, the Major League Baseball Players Association (MLBPA) entered uncharted territory in the business world, and it involves a component that has has been a major hot topic for over a decade. Professional baseball is changing its strategy to incentivize its athletes to steer clear of products that may lead them - intentionally or unintentionally - to breach the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) and place their future in the league in jeopardy.

The MLBPA and Klean Athlete Nutritional Supplements, an NSF Certified for Sport® line, have formed a non-exclusive partnership that is self-described on Klean Athlete's homepage as a "first-of-its-kind partnership designed to optimize nutritional health and well-being of players."

Read More
How Title IX Contributes to the United States Domination in Women's Soccer

On Sunday night, the United States Women's Team won its third World Cup to maintain its international powerhouse status. On top of being the first three-time champion, the Olympic team has won four gold medals. Compare their norm of success to that of, say, the US Men's Team, who does not know what it's like to consistently be even a top 10 team. In a sport that is popular among boys and girls alike, why do we see this international success rate differential? Title IX likely paved the way for the Women's Team's success (in terms of being world champions and consistent international competitors). Here is a nonexclusive list of reasons why:

Read More
Want to Win a Stanley Cup? Get a GM or Coach with a J.D.

If I had money to bet on who the 2015 Stanley Cup Champions will be, I would most definitely put it on the Tampa Bay Lighting because (a) I am a Detroit Red Wings fan and thoroughly enjoy tossing jabs at the Chicago Blackhawks all in good fun, and (b) Jon Cooper, the head coach for the Lightning, has a Juris Doctor. The Chicago Blackhawks have neither a head coach nor a general manager with a legal education, and they are the thorn in my theory. Other factors such as a storied history probably draw in on- and off-ice talent that attribute to its success. With respect to teams who may not have a comparable strength, though, this could be a great solution.

Read More
Your Opening Day Emergency Guide to Baseball's New Pace-of-Game Rules

Back in February, new MLB commissioner Rob Manfred and the MLBPA wasted no time and announced a new set of pace-of-play rules to chop a few minutes from the game's dragging duration without substantially altering the game itself. These rules should get the game moving along more quickly after television breaks and between innings so that cutting a few seconds here and there can end games sooner, so long as the new rules are enforced consistently. The MLB says these rules will be enforced through a "warning and fine system, with discipline resulting for flagrant violators." Here is your quick overview of what rule modifications to look for just in time for Opening Day's first pitch.

Read More