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From Loophole to Lockdown: The Evolution of LTIR Cap Relief in the NHL
From Loophole to Lockdown: The Evolution of LTIR Cap Relief in the NHL

The salary cap has shaped professional sports since its debut in the NBA during the 1984-1985 season, with other leagues like the NFL and the NHL following suit.[1] However, no league’s cap has had as profound an impact on competitive balance as the NHL’s, primarily because of how low it is relative to the market value of the players and the size of the team. One of the more complex mechanisms that has emerged under the hard cap system is the use of Long-Term Injury Reserve (“LTIR”), which teams have used strategically to navigate, and at times to circumvent, cap restrictions

 
By Corey Spector, Sports Lawyers Association, Hockey Subcommittee Member
Tags: Hockey, Salary cap, NHL, LTIR
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The Legal Implications of the House v. NCAA Settlement for Women's Collegiate Sports Programs
The Legal Implications of the House v. NCAA Settlement for Women's Collegiate Sports Programs

On June 6, 2025, the U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted final approval to the House v. NCAA settlement, marking a foundational shift in the governance and economic structure of college athletics.[i] The settlement allows schools to directly compensate student-athletes through a revenue-sharing model tied to institutional athletic revenues, fundamentally reshaping the longstanding amateurism model. It also provides for the distribution of $2.576 billion in damages to current and former Division I athletes and eliminates NCAA-imposed scholarship limits across all sports. While the agreement stops short of explicitly classifying athletes as employees, it raises substantial legal questions regarding the application of federal labor law, the future scope of Title IX protections, and the financial sustainability of non-revenue sports programs, particularly those within women's athletics.

 
By Sade Frazier, SLA NextGen Committee Member
Tags: ncaa, House Settlement, Title IX, Gender Equity, Fair Labor Standards
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The Cost of Visibility: How NIL & Prop Betting Are Exposing College Athletes to Growing Safety Threats
The Cost of Visibility: How NIL & Prop Betting Are Exposing College Athletes to Growing Safety Threats

Student-athletes today face a growing safety crisis fueled by two converging forces: the rise of NIL monetization and the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting. While NIL has empowered athletes to build personal brands and capitalize financially, it has also dramatically increased their public exposure and corresponding vulnerability to harassment, coercion, and physical threats. At the same time, prop betting markets have incentivized direct harassment tied to individual performance, creating real-time pressure on student-athletes. Despite some NCAA initiatives and limited legislative responses, meaningful protections remain incomplete and dangerously inadequate.

By Amelia Taylor, SLA NextGen Committee Member
Tags: College Athletes, NIL, Betting monetization, Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), Sports Betting
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Signed Before 18: The Legal and Ethical Implications of Teen Athletes Signing with Professional Sports Teams
Signed Before 18: The Legal and Ethical Implications of Teen Athletes Signing with Professional Sports Teams

Professional sports teams are increasingly signing teen athletes as young as 13 to high-value contracts, raising questions about contract enforceability and developmental risks for minors.[1] In 2023, 13-year-old Da’vian Kimbrough became the youngest athlete in the history of American team sports when the Sacramento Republic soccer team signed him to a professional contract. That same year, 15-year-old Melanie Barcenas signed a three-year contract with the San Diego Wave and the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL), debuting as the league’s youngest athlete ever. Barcenas joined a growing number of teen players advancing their careers to professional levels at ages when most teens are navigating hormonal changes, fitting in, social media, and college admissions.

By Anavictoria Avila, Esq., SLA Member
Tags: Teen Athletes, Professional Sports Teams, Fair Labor Standards Act
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Assembling a Gold-Medal Worthy Campaign: Trademark Usage, Advertising and Athlete Sponsorship Considerations During the Games
Assembling a Gold-Medal Worthy Campaign: Trademark Usage, Advertising and Athlete Sponsorship Considerations During the Games

What You Need to Know to Avoid Missteps in Olympic Advertising 

Most of the world will tune in to watch the best athletes around the globe as they descend upon the world’s biggest stage for sport: the 2024 Summer Olympic Games in Paris. With billions of people cheering their favorite countries and athletes as they compete at the highest level, many will be exposed to the marketing and media campaigns that follow through every medium – from social to streaming. It is no wonder why the Olympics have become an advertising dream for sponsors of the athletes, coaches, trainers, team members, and other official personnel (the “Participants”) attending the 2024 Summer Olympics in Paris. 

By Steve Smith, Jill Chalmers, Ellen Whitehorn, and Madeleine Considine at BCLP
Tags: USOPP, Olympic Games, Paris, IOC, Olympiad, NCAA, NFL, USOPC, NOC
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State of Affairs for IP in Sports
State of Affairs for IP in Sports

Intellectual property has been a legal area rife with game changing cases in the past several years. This year is no different. This article dives into two recent legal battles - Pennsylvania State Univ. v. Vintage Brand, LLC and Warner Chappell Music v. Nealy - that reshape the landscape of intellectual property in sports. We analyze how these rulings impact everything from team logos on apparel to the music used in highlight reels. The results of these cases will have massive ripple effects for nearly everyone in the sports industry, and interested parties need to take note of what may be coming their way sooner rather than later. 

By Matthew Holt, SLA Member
Tags: IP, Intellectual Property, Vintage Brands, Penn State, Trademark, Warner Chappell Music, Nealy
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