Posts tagged broadcasting rights
2024 Sports Law Hot Topics to Watch

Admittedly, saying, “It’s been a while!” is a severe understatement, but after podcasting, growing my legal practice, and going through numerous personal life events across the spectrum, I felt it was time to come back to write something that I know many people used to look forward to reading because it’s that time of the year. My past predictions have been pretty accurate despite some unpredictable events in recent years. So, let’s get this party started!

Here are what I believe will be the Top 5 sports law hot topics to watch:

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How to Watch Live NFL Games In 2016-2017

There is a laundry list of things that the NFL does wrong. Then, there is one thing the NFL does better than any other sports league: broadcasting rights, which essentially limit who can show footage of an event on the platform designated in the contract. This realization became even more noticeable after the positively lagging coverage NBC did for the Rio 2016 Olympic Games last month.

Commissioner Roger Goodell has said that he wants the league to have a "unique tri-cast on broadcast, cable, and digital platforms," and a series of insane revenue-generating tri-cast broadcasting rights contracts is exactly what the NFL has now. The NFL wants to get to more people. With this business strategy, the league is doing just that. The best part is that it will serve a fan base with a growing need for immediacy and flexibility and also a society full of more and more cable cord cutters.

Without further ado, this is how you can watch NFL games and coverage this upcoming season with or without a cable subscription:

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How You Can Stick It To The Man & Legally Get Your March Madness Fix

The person who leaked the NCAA Tournament bracket via Twitter 50 minutes into CBS' 2-hour Selection Sunday broadcast is considered a hero, according to various news and social media sources. There would not be all this praise had CBS completed the show as it has in the past - one hour swiftly moving through each bracket without the missed shots  (e.g., Charles Barkley awkwardly trying to work with the selection touchscreen board). This frustration with college sports broadcasting contracts comes at a time when society is scrutinizing the ethical viewpoints and practices of those running the college sports world, which adds to the firestorm. One mantra appears to be rising out of the mess - a "stick it to The Man" vibe - and will likely gain additional momentum the next few weeks.

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College Football On New Year's Eve: #thatmomentwhen Force Turns Into Love?

Would you believe it if I told you that ESPN tried to convince the College Football Playoff (CFP) that it should not put the semifinals on New Year's Eve? Well, it did, and we see how that turned out. Maybe ESPN did not fight too strongly, to be honest, because Disney Media Networks got your viewership either way with either football on ESPN or Ryan Seacrest on ABC unless you were out doing one of a variety of celebrations with your loved ones. The entity simply wanted to avoid its two powerhouse programs competing against each other if it was avoidable. For example, when Alabama found their stride against Michigan State, ESPN sensed that you might be tempted to turn the channel. So, they invited you to put your faith in Demi Lovato's live performance on ABC.

Akin to how the NFL rules Thanksgiving and how the NBA dominates Christmas, college football wants to hijack a holiday that is not a "national holiday" for which the majority of the workforce gets the day off. (Hence, the games held the 4:00 p.m. and 8:00 p.m. television time slots.) Those of you who are frustrated with the ultimate decision have every right to be frustrated that something you love - college football - can take advantage of you like this, but you cannot point your finger at the NCAA. The CFP is an entirely different beast unaffiliated with the national regulating body, making Division I FBS Football the only NCAA sport that does not have its champion determined by a yearly NCAA championship event. First and foremost, member conferences and independent member institutions run postseason play as the new entity CFP Administration, LLC with its own Board of Managers, Management Committee, and staff in Irving, Texas. From there, I will leave you to read the CFP's Story, including information about the Selection Committee that ranks the top 25 teams in the final handful of weeks, as it writes on its official website for yourself.

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