Sports Law

1 Unit

This introductory Sports Law course will offer an overview of the three major sports that dominate the American sports scene today: Major League Baseball, the National Football League, and the National Basketball Association. The course will devote approximately equal time to each of these three major sports and compare/contrast the similarities and differences among them, from a historical legal perspective. Other professional sports, including hockey and soccer, will also be discussed via updated links to the most relevant Sports Law news, which links will be provided prior to each class. Specifically, it will evaluate the legal evolution of America's 'three major leagues', and examine how the Supreme Court's, other courts', and arbitrators' landmark decisions have affected the path of each league's progress. Additionally, this course will address contemporary Sports Law topics, including COVID-19's impact upon the three major leagues, the recently executed 2020 NFL Collective Bargaining Agreement, and the world of esports (professional video gaming). Prereq: LAWS 4401 and LAWS 4405 .