Now that the United States Supreme Court has struck down the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection ACT (PASPA), a federal law that (with a few exceptions) prohibited state-authorized sports gambling, several states are lining up to enact legislation that allows sports wagering within their borders. And why not? There is huge money in sports betting. Last year, Nevada raked in nearly $5 billion in sports wagering. States like New Jersey, New York and others all want a piece of the action. States are not alone in this regard. Sports leagues, many of which opposed efforts to get rid of PASPA, also have their hands out looking for a quick buck. Having sensed that they were losing the PASPA battle, the NBA, NFL, MLB and others came up with the ingenious idea that if the Court were to strike PASPA leagues could cash in on the new legal landscape by imposing “integrity fees” on those states that enact new gambling laws. What are integrity fees? Some say it’s a nice way of saying “extortion.” The leagues and governing bodies say integrity fees are necessary to maintain the integrity and public confidence in their respective sports. The rationale goes like this: once […]
October 20, 2017 – The Fall 2017 St. John’s Law Alumni Magazine features a cover story on SJU alums working in the sports and entertainment industry, and includes comments from Jeff Fannell. You can read the full article here.
Over 70 player development professionals and player association executives convened in Paris, France April 3-5 for the World Players Association Player Development Conference. The theme of the conference was #PeopleFirst – an acknowledgement that players are people first, and athletes second. Discussion focused on best practices to develop the full potential of players as professionals, people and citizens. Leaders from over two dozen countries, including the United States, Japan, France, Italy, Spain, Australia, Switzerland, England, Botswana, and Zimbabwe shared ideas and experiences in implementing player development programs. Such programs emphasize areas such as player health and safety, mental health and wellness, training and performance (including the use of wearable technology), career transition programs, personal branding, social awareness and involvement, and leadership development. In short, the conversation among conference participants embodied a holistic approach to developing players as people and athletes. On behalf of the MLBPA, I had the pleasure of taking part in a panel discussion with Don Davis, NFLPA Senior Director of Player Affairs and Development, and Stephen Webb, NHLPA Divisional Player Representative. How player development programs are pursued within the context of a collective bargaining agreement and independent of the league and its clubs was a central part […]
