Jeff Fannell

Oct 12

by Jeff Fannell & Associates in Career, Events, News, Press Release, Schools, Sports, Sports Issues, Sports Law 0 comments tags: Advice, Career, College, jeff fannell, Sports, sports law, Students

Jeff Fannell to Lecture at Adelphi University

Thursday, October 12, 2017 – On Monday, October 16, Jeff Fannell will serve as a guest lecturer at Adelphi University, where he will speak on current developments in sports law. The lecture, coordinated by Professor Josh Liebman, will commence at 8:00 p.m. on the school’s campus in Garden City, NY. “I’m always excited to speak to students and young professionals about the sports industry,” said Jeff. “I’m particularly excited to speak to a class taught by Josh, whom I’ve known for over ten years. We met when I was lawyer at the MLBPA and he was a young intern. It’s gratifying to see how far he has come in his career, both as a professor and commercial litigator.” Monday’s lecture will cover issues relating to negotiating athlete contracts, grievance arbitration and collective bargaining. “We’ll discuss a little Ezekiel Elliott, a little Colin Kaepernick, recent NBA signings and other things,” said Jeff. “It should be fun.”

Jul 12

by Jeff Fannell in News, Sports Issues 0 comments tags: america, black lives matter, crises, dallas, nation, police, protest, shootings, Sports, transcending sports

Transcending Sport: Shootings, Protests and a Nation in Crisis

AP Photo/David Goldman America loves its sports. For many fans, sporting events add to the quality of their lives. For others sports offer a temporary escape, providing a refuge from the challenges and problems life sometimes brings. Yet there are times when even the games and tournaments, as powerfully appealing as they may be, cannot obscure the harsh realities of this thing called life. Such was the case the week of July 4, 2016, when we as a nation endured yet two more fatal shootings by white police officers of African-American men – Alton Sterling, who was selling CDs in a Louisiana gas station, and Philando Castile, who was pulled over for a broken tail light in Minnesota. The shootings spurred protests in various cities across the country, including in Dallas, Texas. The day after the Minnesota shooting, a 25-year-old former Army reservist, reportedly acting alone, ambushed police officers following a peaceful rally organized to honor the lives of Sterling and Castile. Five police officers were killed and another seven were injured in the well-planned, horrific attack. Less than 24 hours later, at least three other officers were shot in separate incidents in Tennessee, Missouri and Georgia, one […]

May 10

by Jeff Fannell in Golf, MLB, News, Olympics, People, Sports Issues 0 comments tags: Drug Testing, PEDs, PGA

IN PURSUIT OF ‘CLEAN’ SPORT

Athlete drug testing continues to make headlines. In recent weeks several Major League players were suspended by MLB for testing positive for PEDs. More recently, PGA golfers who have qualified for the 2016 Olympic golf field became subject to the more rigorous Olympic drug testing program. Included in the Olympic testing regime is a “whereabouts requirement,” under which golfers must provide a one-hour time slot between 6 a.m. and 11 p.m. when they will be available for testing on days when they’re not in competition. This is a World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA) requirement faced by all elite athletes who are in the registered testing pool of their respective international sports federations. For many non-athletes the idea of having to provide your whereabouts on a daily basis, with a specified hour to take a drug test (or to do most anything, for that matter) is an imposition on personal freedom beyond debate. Yet the supposed desire for genuine competition among fans and citizens, who themselves are nipping-and-tucking and crafting artificial personas on social media, justifies the intrusion. After all, we’re talking about athletes, many of whom get paid big money, so anything goes, right? It’s such blasé thinking that no doubt […]

Feb 16

by Jeff Fannell in News, NFL, Sports Issues 0 comments tags: Peyton Manning, Title IX, University of Tennessee

Manning’s Cautionary Tale

The recent resurfacing of the 1997 sexual assault allegations against Peyton Manning while he was a junior at the University of Tennessee serves as a warning to many who are involved in or care about sports. For athletes it provides chilling proof that transgressions or alleged transgressions, even those that may be the product of youthful immaturity, never die. This is especially true today, in the era of enhanced technology capable of producing real-time recordings, images and video that can be preserved in various tangible forms or even in the cloud. Just when an athlete believes he is free to move on with his life and career, the past indiscretion will rise up in the spirit of Egypt’s Pharaoh and come searching for him again. For teams and universities, it heightens the need for thoroughness and transparency when dealing with allegations of improper or potentially illegal conduct. In Manning’s case, the University of Tennessee has been accused of covering up the facts of Manning’s alleged misconduct in order to protect its star quarterback and the university’s image and reputation. Now UT finds itself as a defendant both in a Title IX suit and in the court of public opinion. […]

Jan 11

by Jeff Fannell in Media, News, Sports Issues, Technology 0 comments

Three Sports Stories to Watch in 2016

There are several issues in sports that are worth watching in 2016. Three that I’m keeping my eyes on are the continuing emergence of virtual reality technology, the growing use of wearable technology in professional sports, and the potential explosion of e-Sports into the mainstream. For years there has been growing excitement about virtual reality (VR), which is immersive simulation that allows users to feel as if they are at an event from anywhere in the world. Imagine, through VR, feeling as if you’re sitting courtside at the NBA Finals while reclining in your living room or hanging out in your backyard. Of course, outside of sports VR also has application in the video gaming and entertainment worlds. While significant progress has been made in the gaming arena, movie studios are still actively exploring how best to integrate the technology into their storytelling and we will soon have enhanced movie-watching experiences in the cinemas and at home. Improved technology and declining prices for VR are also on the horizon for 2016, which means when it comes to sporting events, concerts, movies and gaming, more and more consumers will be able to enjoy the feel of being in the center […]

Jan 06

by Lori Lord in Events, News, Uncategorized 0 comments

Jeff Fannell Speaking Alongside Former NY Giant Dave Thomas

Long Island, NY — Saturday, January 9th, JFA Founder and President Jeff Fannell will join former NY Giants football player Dave Thomas (New York Criminal Court), Judge Leonor Gerald and a number of other esteemed guest panelist at Adelphi University for the 8th Annual Teen Leadership Summit sponsored by the Nassau County Chapter of Jack and Jill of America, Inc. Jeff will be speaking to student attendees in multiple sessions focused on both the topics of sports and law. “Teens with Courage to Conquer”, is the theme for the JJNC teen leadership summit this year. The event is targeted to young people at the formative ages of 14-18 years old where they may be empowered to script and take ownership of their future. We are challenging our young people to be proactive and think about their future now while creating a structured plan of action that consists of clear, concise goals and initiatives ultimately leading to their success. There are a plethora of negative external influences affecting our teens today and present in their environments making it difficult for them to succeed and have a bright future. Social media […]