Entries from June 2008
Last week’s NBA Draft was remarkable for the number and prominence of freshman that were selected. The top 3 picks, and 5 of the first 7 players chosen were college freshman, and 10 freshman were selected in the first round - all NBA records. The message for the top players entering college is clear: “one and done” is now the rule, not the exception.
The NBA’s rule requiring a player to be one year removed from high school before becoming eligible for the NBA Draft is a business decision, pure and simple. The NBA is better served with more developed, mature players, who have proven themselves in collegiate basketball. Moreover, the NBA’s marketing opportunities are vastly improved when their players have developed a fan following in college that accompanies them into the NBA. The NBA is big business and requiring players to spend a year in college is a fundamentally sound business decision.
The NCAA and colleges also benefit from this arrangement. The top players must spend at least 1 year in college before heading to the NBA Draft. When these teams are successful, they generate television revenue and exposure to help future recruits. (See Greg Oden and Kevin Durant). The problem for the NCAA and colleges is that the “one and done” trend makes a mockery of a student-athlete’s academics. A “one and done” player only needs to remain eligible during basketball season. Once the season ends, the player typically leaves school. Is the player really benefiting from a semester and a half of college work? Not likely.
Although any age requirements in basketball can be viewed in light of the business interests of the NBA and the NCAA, it seems that the NCAA should not support a rule that requires a player to attend college for such a short period of time. The effects of “one and done” may bring about change. Brandon Jennings, a top high school player is considering playing overseas for a year, rather than attending college. Jennings candidly states that he has minimal interest in attending college. Although, playing overseas presents a myriad of challenges for players coming from high school, it only takes one player to succeed before others follow.
As “one and done” becomes the norm in basketball, it also creates a problem for players that want to stay in school. Will a player who stays in school for 3 or 4 years diminish his value? Scouts have minimal game tape to pick apart a freshman, and can always be optimistic about a 19 year-old’s potential. But a player who stays in school exposes himself to a more in-depth critique that could cost him millions.
Also see One and Done: O.J. Mayo and Amateurism in NCAA Basketball
Categories: Colleges and Universities · National Basketball Association
Tagged: NBA, NCAA Basketball, One and Done
The Hartford Courant reports that Hartford Mayor Eddie Perez continues to convene the task force he appointed to study whether corporate support exists for a new downtown arena to replace the Hartford Civic Center (now the XL Center).
Although the Courant has filed a complaint with the state’s Freedom of Information Commission, seeking public access to the task force meetings, the story is significant from another angle: the state’s efforts to attract more sporting events, and potentially a professional team are alive. A professional sports team is clearly a long shot. However, from the Hollywood East Task Force, to the tax credit for filmmakers, to the creation of a sports commission, Connecticut has demonstrated a commitment to the sports and entertainment industry. Whether that commitment can be the impetus for a new arena remains to be seen.
For more on the possibility of a new arena in Hartford, see:
Categories: Colleges and Universities · UConn Sports
Tagged: Hartford Civic Center, Hartford Courant, Mayor Perez, Professional Sports in Hartford, Sports Commission, tax credit
The Hartford Courant reports that UConn and Nike have reached a 10-year, $45.5 million contract for exclusive sponsorship rights. The deal is “believed to be one of the biggest in the country.”
The agreement operates as follows:
- Nike will provide uniforms, sports apparel, practice gear and equipment for all 24 varsity teams
- The retail value of such items is $33 million; the remaining $12.5 million will be paid in cash to UConn
- UConn will allow Nike to advertise in UConn venues, make public address announcements and receive tickets to sporting events
UConn’s deal with Nike confirms two points:
- Collegiate athletics is, at its core and on its surface to an increasing amount, a large and lucrative business. UConn Athletic Director Jeff Hathaway was quoted as stating that the deal “will ensure that coaches and athletes are using the best game uniforms, practice gear, apparel and equipment for all aspects of their competitions.” There is certainly some truth to that statement - Nike makes fine athletics uniforms and gear. But this is a business decision, nothing more. If Russell Athletics, or any other provider would have paid UConn $45.6 million, it likely would be UConn’s exclusive outfitter, regardless of any differences in quality. (For more on the business of collegiate athletics, see Connecticut Sports Law’s article “Is Amateurism Dead in Collegiate Athletics?”)
- UConn continues to raise the profile of its athletic program. On the heels of the UConn-Notre Dame football series, and Football Coach Randy Edsall’s stated ambition to bring teams like Penn State to Rentschler Field, UConn’s intentions are clear - to expand its national success in basketball and become an athletic powerhouse.
Categories: UConn Sports
Tagged: Hathaway, Nike, Randy Edsall, UConn, UConn Football
PGA golfer Billy Andrade graciously addressed the Connecticut Bar Association’s Sports & Entertainment Law Section at a reception at the Travelers Championship in Cromwell. Andrade made some interesting points about the interplay between sports lawyers and sports lawyers in professional golf:
- Andrade said that Grant Hill’s contract changed the landscape for many sports, including golf. Hill, rather than hiring an agent to negotiate his contract (and paying an agent a percentage of his earnings), hired an attorney to negotiate the contract. Hill paid his attorney on an hourly basis for negotiating the contract, thus saving a significant amount of money.
- Many professional golfers rely upon their agents to involve an attorney when necessary. Andrade believes that an independent attorney can potentially be more effective and protect the athlete to a greater extent than an attorney essentially working on the same team as the agent.
Andrade also discussed his successful charity that he founded with Brad Faxon, the Billy Andrade-Brad Faxon Charities for Children. Best of luck to Billy in the Travelers Championship.
Categories: Uncategorized
Notre Dame and NBC have renewed their television contract - excellent news for UConn football. The extension runs through the 2015 season. Thus, Notre Dame’s home games against UConn will be on national television for at least the majority of the newly formed UConn-Notre Dame football series.
UConn is set to play Notre Dame on November 21, 2009 and will then play six games between 2011 and 2017.
Categories: Uncategorized
The dispute between the Seattle SuperSonics and the City of Seattle, now on trial in federal court, includes the usual acrimony and public mud-slinging common when a sports franchise moves from one city to another. The trial, based upon the Sonics’ attempt to escape from under its lease of Key Arena with the City, is essentially a breach of contract case. The City argues for specific performance of the Sonics’ contract, asking the court to force the Sonics to play out their contract in Seattle until 2010 before moving to Oklahoma City. The Sonics prefer to buy out the remaining 2 years of the contract and move to their new home immediately.
While the case certainly has multiple legal issues, the Sonics make an argument, that if successful, could set dangerous precedent in the sports world. One of the Sonics’ core arguments against playing out its contract in Key Arena is that arena is unsuitable for basketball. In other words, the Sonics are losing money at Key Arena. The losses, as most franchises argue, are due to a lack of luxury suites. ESPN.com summarized Sonics owner Clay Bennett’s justifications for moving as follows:
He said that if U.S. District Judge Marsha Pechman forces the team to honor the final two years of the Key Arena lease, it would cost the Sonics $60 million…
He also extolled the virtues of Oklahoma City’s Ford Center, where, he said, the team could make $17 million over the next two years…
New courtside suites, exclusive lounge areas just off the court that Bennett said are becoming the trend in the newest NBA arenas, are expected to be installed in the Ford Center by the 2009-10 season. He said that is just the type of high-end amenity that KeyArena lacks.
If the court allows the Sonics to buy out their contract, it would only heighten tensions between sports franchises and taxpayers on the issue of new stadiums. Every time a more economically attractive alternative is found, a franchise could threaten to buy out its lease and move. This would bring even more pressure on state and local officials to provide public funding for new sports facilities while potentially having an adverse affect on fan loyalty.
The fact that a franchise could potentially make more money elsewhere is not a justification for relocation. The Sonics are not concerned that one of its players will get injured because of the alleged unsuitability of Key Arena; nor is the team concerned about fan safety. There simply are not enough luxury boxes and seats to make money. Not exactly a strong legal basis to escape a contract.
Categories: National Basketball Association
Tagged: NBA, SuperSonics, Seattle, Clay Bennett
Ben Berger, Connecticut Sports Law’s resident soccer expert, shares his thoughts on Chris Mannix’s Sports Illustrated Feature entitled “Are You Like Me? (I bet you are.) I Bet You Hate Soccer”.
Sports Illustrated recently sent Chris Mannix, a self described “soccer hater” on a whirlwind tour of soccer. During his trip, Mannix saw three MLS games in person, two International Friendlies in person, and a Euro 2008 match in a soccer bar. After his mini soccer marathon, Mannix found himself enjoying the fans, detesting the sport on TV and surprised by the speed, power and violence of the game. His ultimate conclusion?
After five days and six matches I can now say that I enjoy soccer at its best — though I continue to despise it at its worst. And the biggest problem is that you’re as likely to see a mess as a masterpiece.
I fully enjoyed his article, and thought his analysis was neither biased nor unfair. To some extent, his sentiments initially rang true with me. As much as I love the sport, I certainly have been witness to some clunkers. After further reflection , it occurred to me that the same can pretty much be said for any sport. The 2008 NBA Finals have been great. Does anyone remember the Heat/Knicks series of the 90s? It was brutal for the casual fan. Ever try to watch a Reds/Pirates twin bill?
Ultimately, it was a great assignment for Mannix and a fair take on soccer. I have long held that watching a high level game in person is essntial for anyone taking in soccer for the first time. Until your interest is piqued, taking in games on television is not always riveting theater. I leave you with a link to bigsoccer.com, a leading online soccer forum where Mannix’s article is being dissected.
Attorney Ben Berger, an avid fan of soccer and MLS, is an attorney at Updike, Kelly & Spellacy, in Hartford, Connecticut. Ben can be reached at bberger@uks.com or 860-548-2636.
Categories: Major League Soccer
Tagged: Berger, Mannix, MLS, Soccer, Soccer Hater, Sports Illustrated
The series between and UConn and Notre Dame appears to be moving full speed ahead, despite the departure of Notre Dame Athletic Director Kevin White, who was named Athletic Director at Duke. The Hartford Courant reports that additional game dates have been set.
Categories: Colleges and Universities · UConn Sports
Tagged: Notre Dame, UConn
Players Named in Mitchell Report Still Without Team
ESPN.com’s Buster Olney wrote about the trouble that MLB players named in the Mitchell Report have had finding employment. The story of Jay Gibbons, a capable player who has written to every major league team asking for a minor league contract is intriguing. Gibbons even volunteers to donate his entire minor league salary to charity, as well as a substantial portion of his major league salary should he return to the majors. Nevertheless, there have been no takers.
Trump’s Scottish Golf Resort Faces Resistance
With the Travelers Championship in Cromwell fast approaching, golf is also making news in Aberdeenshire, Scotland, where Donald Trump’s plan to build a golf course and resort is facing resistance on environmental grounds.
Categories: Golf · Major League Baseball
Tagged: Mitchell Report, Gibbons, Trump, Travelers Championship
