On December 11, 2025, NASCAR settled an ongoing and closely watched antitrust trial brought by two racing teams, 23XI Racing (co-owned by Michael Jordan) and Front Row Motorsports, in the U.S. District Court for the Western District of North Carolina. The settlement was announced after the plaintiffs had presented their case-in-chief and following testimony from several high-profile witnesses, including Jordan. The financial terms of the settlement have not been publicly disclosed, but the agreement aims to provide a more equitable business framework for teams in the sport.
How the NCAA NIL Settlement Affects Higher Education Institutions
On June 6, 2025, Judge Claudia Wilken of the United States District Court for the Northern District of California approved the settlement agreement in House v. NCAA, Oliver v. NCAA and Hubbard v. NCAA. As higher education institutions determine how to implement the terms of the agreement, all should be cognizant of potential Title IX implications. Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris website.
April 24 Event: Game Changers: Unlocking Potential in Women’s and Emerging Sports Leagues and Advancements in Sports Tech
Duane Morris LLP will present Game Changers: Unlocking Potential in Women’s and Emerging Sports Leagues and Advancements in Sports Tech on Thursday, April 24, 2025, from 5:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. Eastern.
Continue reading “April 24 Event: Game Changers: Unlocking Potential in Women’s and Emerging Sports Leagues and Advancements in Sports Tech”NCAA’s $2.8 Billion Settlement with Former College Athletes
On May 23, 2024, the NCAA reached a historic $2.8 billion settlement with former college athletes who had filed an antitrust class action demanding billions in potential compensation allegedly denied to them for decades. This represents a major turning point in college athletics. Read the full Alert on the Duane Morris website.
The NBA’s New Collective Bargaining Agreement Provides Key Changes in Cannabis-Related Matters
On April 26, 2023, the National Basketball Association (NBA) announced the ratification of its new, seven-year Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) with the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA). The CBA will take effect on July 1, 2023, and will run through the 2029-30 season. The CBA provides, among other things, certain key changes to cannabis-related matters, particularly in connection with the NBA’s Anti-Drug Program and NBA players’ business opportunities.
To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris attorney Robert Davydov, please visit the Duane Morris Cannabis Law Blog.
CBD Beverage Company Partner with Chicago Cubs Under New MLB Sponsorship Rules
On April 7, 2023, the Chicago Cubs announced a partnership with MYND DRINKS, a Chicago-based cannabis beverage company. This historic partnership recognizes the Cubs as the first Major League Baseball (MLB) team to collaborate on a business venture with a cannabis company.
To read the full text of this post by Duane Morris attorney Robert Davydov, please visit the Duane Morris Cannabis Law Blog.
NBA to Permit Sovereign Wealth Fund Investors in Franchises as Valuations Soar
The National Basketball Association (“NBA”) Board of Governors has voted to permit sovereign wealth funds, pension funds and university endowments to invest in NBA teams. Major U.S. sports leagues have traditionally limited who they permit as owners of their franchises, not just for controlling general partners, but for limited partners as well, even though limited partners are traditionally passive owners with no governing rights. However, two years ago the NBA became the first major U.S. sports league to permit private equity investors, and now the league is broadening the scope of potential investors as franchise valuations continue to skyrocket. There are only so many Americans with pockets deep enough to afford franchises that are being sold for several billion dollars, and so the NBA has realized that it needs to expand the pool of possible buyers. Continue reading “NBA to Permit Sovereign Wealth Fund Investors in Franchises as Valuations Soar”
FTX’s Collapse Should Remind Sports Teams to Be Careful When Choosing Their Sponsorship Partners
The dramatic collapse last week of the cryptocurrency exchange FTX will also affect those teams, arenas and other sports companies that have naming rights and sponsorship agreements with FTX.
When a sponsorship partner undergoes a dramatic collapse like that suffered by FTX last week, sports teams that have partnered with the company for naming rights and other sponsorship agreements suffer losses on multiple fronts. First, of course, is the loss of the contractually guaranteed income that the team has taken for granted when budgeting for years to come. But beyond that is the reputational harm. Sports is about winning and losing, and no team wants to be associated with a loser. Continue reading “FTX’s Collapse Should Remind Sports Teams to Be Careful When Choosing Their Sponsorship Partners”
Duane Morris is Law360’s Sports & Betting Group Of The Year
Duane Morris LLP helped sportsbooks, teams and media giants like NBCUniversal and ESPN navigate a complex licensing and regulatory landscape to ink lucrative sports gambling deals, earning it a spot among Law360’s 2021 Sports & Betting Groups of the Year.
To read the full text of this article, please visit the Law360 website (subscription required).
The Changing Landscape Between Sports, Media and Gambling: Webinar Replay
A webinar replay is available for “The Changing Landscape Between Sports, Media and Gambling,” the third in our Game Changers: Strategies for the Business of Sports and Gaming Webinar Series with SeventySix Capital Sports Advisory.