Skip to main content

2024 National Sports Law Negotiation Competition

Friday, October 18–Sunday, October 20, 2024

The annual National Sports Law Negotiation Competition (NSLNC) is hosted and organized by the Center for Sports Law & Policy (CSLP) at Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California. Now in its tenth year, the NSLNC is widely regarded as one of the premiere law student negotiation competitions in the country.

The NSLNC was created by sports and academic professionals to give law students a realistic experience negotiating matters vital to the modern sports law industry. Our mission is to provide the legal profession with able legal minds ready to contribute to advising, transactional, and litigation practices that handle matters relating to sports.

The fact patterns for the NSLNC are modeled on current issues being debated, analyzed, and negotiated by professionals in the sports industry. Student competitors negotiate these fictional – but highly realistic – disputes before a panel of judges consisting of practicing lawyers, judges, professors, and mediators. Each student participating in the competition must grapple with at least two areas of sports law.

Past competitions have included the following problems relating to:

  • contract negotiation; 
  • trading players between franchises; 
  • endorsement contracts; 
  • athlete family and personal issues; 
  • intellectual property rights; 
  • stadium construction deals; 
  • college football scheduling; 
  • sports gambling; 
  • and many more.

It is our hope that you enjoy the competition weekend, which includes:

  • a catered meet & greet on Friday evening; 
  • catered continental breakfast, lunch, and snacks all day on Saturday during the competition; 
  • the opportunity to interact with competition judges who cross a wide spectrum of legal practice as well as like-minded students from every corner of the United States; 
  • a catered breakfast for the four teams making the competition finals on Sunday morning; 
  • and the opportunity to explore San Diego, California, America’s finest city. The law school is located in the heart of downtown San Diego just a short walk from the historic Gaslamp District and Petco Park, and a short cab ride from Balboa Park and numerous beaches and hiking trails.

Schedule

Friday, October 18 – 5PM-7:30PM  – Meet & Greet Session – Student Lounge – Second Floor – Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Saturday, October 19 – 8AM-5PM – Four Preliminary Rounds – Report to the Student Lounge – Second Floor – Thomas Jefferson School of Law – Four Further Instructions

Sunday, October 20 – 8AM – 1PM – Final Rounds – Moot Court Room (Room 201) – Second Floor – Thomas Jefferson School of Law



2023 Fact Patterns

Round One: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Two: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Three: Fact Pattern with Confidentials


2022 Fact Patterns

Round One: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Two: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Three: Fact Pattern with Confidentials


2021 Fact Patterns

Round One: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Two: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Three: Fact Pattern with Confidentials


2020 Fact Patterns

Round One: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Two: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Three: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

2019 Fact Patterns

Round One: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Two: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Three: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

2017 Fact Patterns

Round One: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Round Two: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Final Round: Fact Pattern with Confidentials

Testimonials From Past Events

“It was a great weekend and I really enjoyed myself and appreciate the hospitality. Looking forward to coming back next year.”

James Cooper,
Juris Doctorate Candidate 2015,
Florida A & M University College of Law

“I was a judge for the competition on Saturday and the competition was highly organized and well-run.”

Leah Christensen,
Professor of Law,
Thomas Jefferson School of Law

“Your team did an awesome job…just wanted to say thank you!”

Joshua Igeleke, Jr.,
J.D./MBA Candidate, May 2014,
William S. Boyd School of Law,
University of Nevada, Las Vegas

If you have any questions, please contact NSLNC@tjsl.edu


Past Articles About The NSLNC

2016

2015

2014

2013 

2012

2011