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Thursday, August 26, 2004
FYI: Amateur Sports Conference
  On Thursday, October 21 and Friday, October 22, 2004 the National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School will be hosting a conference on The Evolving Nature of High School, College and Olympic Sports in the 21st Century at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin.
Four conference panels made up of representatives of the United States Olympic Committee, National Collegiate Athletic Association, Court of Arbitration for Sport, United States Antidoping Agency, Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association, and various colleges and athletic departments will discuss cutting edge issues in Amateur Athletics from drug testing in sports to amateurism and gender equity. Conference sponsors include the law firm of Foley & Lardner, College Town LLC, and ScheerGame Sports Development LLC.
The conference is from 9 am to 5 pm on Thursday, October 21. On Thursday afternoon attendees are invited to take a tour of the Al McGuire Center, Marquette University's new athletic facility, before the conference reception. The conference will continue Friday, October 22, and conclude with the Master of the Game Award l!
uncheon
honoring Dr. Cedric Dempsey, former President of the NCAA. Thereafter, a CLE Seminar on Ethical Issues in Sports & Entertainment Law, co-sponsored by the NSLI and the Sports & Entertainment Law Section of the State Bar of Wisconsin, will be held from 2:00 - 5:00 pm.
The conference, luncheon and seminar will be held at the Hilton Milwaukee City Center in downtown Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Complete details including conference panels, registration costs and forms, conference sponsors, and details on the conference hotel are available on the web. We anticipate that conference attendees will earn approximately 8-10 CLE credit hours (50 minute states), while ethics seminar attendees will earn at least 3 CLE credit hours (50 minute states). The NSLI will apply for CLE credit to any state for which a conference or seminar attendee seeks credit.
If you have any questions contact Professor Paul Anderson, the Associate Director of the National Sports Law Institute, at (414) 288-5816 (direct line) or by email at paul.anderson@mu.edu.
We look forward to seeing you in Milwaukee in October!!
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Friday, August 06, 2004
California City To Lose $31 Million On Ballpark
From the North County (CA) Times
The city of Lake Elsinore is prepared to sell its minor league ballpark to an investment firm for $7 million, despite being $38 million in debt on the facility.
According to the paper, "The contract stands to relieve the city's redevelopment agency . . . from an annual net loss of $500,000 in operating costs." Based on those cost savings, the city will break even on the ballpark in the year 2078.
The stadium is home to the Lake Elsinore Storm, the Class-A California League affiliate of the San Diego Padres.
Incidentally, the Storm have one of the best selling caps in all of baseball, year in and year out.
Update: Colangelo to retire, Moorad new CEO
From the Arizona Republic
As suspected, former agent Jeff Moorad will take over as CEO of the Arizona Diamondbacks once current CEO Jerry Colangelo retires at the end of the year.
Moorad has "retired" from his duties as a player agent, surrendering his MLBPA certification. There is no word on the future of Moorad Sports Management, which is owned by the Assante spinoff Loring Ward, a wealth management company.
Also, despite erroneous press reports indicating that this is the first example of an agent has moved into the front office, it is at least the second such move in recent years. Former player agent Dennis Gilbert is currently an executive with the Chicago White Sox.
Moorad To Leave Agency For Front Office
From ESPN, MSNBC
In a stunning move, Jeff Moorad, one of the most powerful agents in baseball, has decided to leave Moorad Sports Management and take a front office position with the Arizona Diamondbacks.
Perhaps Moorad was sick of the headaches caused by his MLB and NFL clients.
Last winter, Red Sox OF Manny Ramirez (he of the second largest contract in baseball) was involved in the Alex Rodriguez-to-Boston drama, making it known that he had no desire to stay in Boston. When the deal fell apart, Moorad had to patch things up between Manny and the Red Sox.
This season, Matt Bush, the #1 overall pick in the June draft by the San Diego Padres, was arrested and charged with a felony before even playing a single game for the Padres. Bush may have been forced to give back some of his signing bonus in return for being reinstated from the suspended list, as the terms of the settlement have not been disclosed.
In addition, Raul Mondesi has had his contract terminated -- a very rare move -- by not one, but two major league teams (the Pittsburgh Pirates and the Anaheim Angels) this season.
Then, last week, in what may have been the straw that broke the camel's back Sean Taylor, first round pick of the Washington Redskins, fired Moorad less than two weeks after hiring him. Taylor was unhappy with the size of the contract Moorad secured for him, especially after other first round picks criticized the deal.
In my opinion, Moorad most likely will take over day-to-day control of the Diamondbacks, since it is highly unlikely his position with the team will be more lucrative than his agency. The only way this move makes sense is if Moorad is gaining power in return for giving up the money (and security) generated by his 20 years as an agent.
Tuesday, August 03, 2004
Utah Baseball Players Explore Plea Bargain
From BYU NewsNet
Eight baseball players from the University of Utah were charged with a felony for allegedly painting red U's on the white Y located on the hills above Brigham Young University. The two schools are rivals.
Seven of the eight appeared in court yesterday to discuss a plea bargain (the eighth player has had his case dismissed).
Monday, August 02, 2004
Brawl Ends Game, Franchise
 A game between the Salinas Packers and the Oakland Eagles, two semipro baseball teams made up of college players, ended with a brawl on Sunday that saw one player taken to the hospital and another taken to jail.
The fight broke out in the sixth inning of the final game of the teams' weekend series, of the 2004 season and ever for the Packers, whose owner is closing the team down.
The teams play in the California Coastal League.
Bengals Contract Terms Cause Problems
From the Cincinnati Enquirer
The Cincinnati Bengals are having difficulty signing their draft picks thanks in part to a clause in their proffered contracts demanding 100% participation by the player in the team's offseason conditioning program. The players have balked at the clause as it exceeds the 80% participation requirement in most NFL contracts.
Players missing even a single workout under the 100% clause could be forced to not only forfeit NFL standard offseason-workout compensation set out in the CBA, but also part of their signing bonus.
Left with little leverage by the one-team post-draft market, the draftees have been left with a tough choice: either give in to the tough terms, or continue to hold out and miss valuable reps in training camp.
Profile: The Woys, Father/Son Agents
From the Akron Beacon Journal
Golf agent and sports entrepreneur Bucky Woy is profiled by his hometown paper, showing again all the twists and turns a "sports agent" career can take. Woy is now building a $1 million car wash in Frisco, Texas.
Meanwhile, Bucky's son Jordan "became a respected NFL agent after graduating from law school." He recently co-taught a seminar on becoming a sports agent at the University of Dallas' Graduate School of Management with his father.
Perjury Charges Loom In BALCO Case
From the Charlotte (NC) News-Observer
Athletes involved in the BALCO doping scandal may be facing perjury charges for lying to the grand jury. Those involved may want to read a little history.
Profile: Angelos, From Lawyer To Owner
From the Baltimore Sun
In 1993, Peter Angelos was an extraordinarily successful attorney known as "the king of asbestos." After winning a bidding war, he took the reins of the Baltimore Orioles, quickly becoming one of the most influential figures in baseball. Eleven years later, he's the lone remaining obstacle standing between the beleaguered Montreal Expos and a relocation to the Washington D.C. area.
Paper: Just Say "No" To New Arena
From the Sacramento Bee
In Sacramento, the Kings are clamoring for a new arena -- to be subsidized by the taxpayers, with backing from city leaders.
Joining a growing chorus speaking out against such giveaways, the primary Sacramento-area newspaper has come out against a publicly-funded arena, citing evidence from a study (DOC file) by Andrew Zimbalist, among others. It's a good read.
City, American Legion Fight Over Baseball
From the Bloomington-Normal Pantagraph
The city of Bloomington, Illinois is feuding with the local American Legion Post over the Legion's use of city facilities for its high-school level youth baseball league.
Apparently a split between American Legion baseball and American Junior Baseball left the Legion with only high school-aged players and no teams for younger children. The city alleged that this violated the terms of the Legion's lease on a city baseball field and evicted the Legion teams.
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