9th Annual Sports Law Symposium is a Hit
April 11, 2011
The 9th Annual Sports Law Symposium at TJSL on April 9 drew a large audience and covered up to the minute issues in the world of sports and representation of athletes.
The event was moderated by adjunct professor and sports agent Randy Grossman, who teaches sports law at TJSL.
The first panel, “Management, Marketing and Protecting Intellectual Property in a Digital Age,” was a fascinating inside look at the different issues sports agents must deal with in representing their clients. Of course, one of the major topics of the dialogue was the impact the NFL’s lockout and the ensuing decertification of the NFL Player’s Association (NFLPA) is having on the three agents on the panel who represent NFL players – Mark Bloom, Jim Miller Jr. and Mark Humenik. All say they can’t call themselves “Certified NFL Player Agents” at the present time because of the labor dispute. A fourth panelist, David Rosenbaum, who represents clients in the area of digital media and marketing, had great insights on issues surround the use of a player’s name and likeness in video games, and how lucrative it can be for athletes who send out sponsored tweets on Twitter, or use other social media.
In the second panel of the symposium, the panelists discussed “The New Landscape of San Diego Sports Law.” This panel welcomed the Executive Director of the Farmers Insurance Open, Tom Wilson, Founder of LM Action Sports Management, Lucas Mirtl, and Founder of Off-Tackle Sports Management, Jim Miller, Jr. Benefited by the geographical advantage and favorable weather, San Diego is a hotspot to host non-traditional sports event, such as golf and motor-crossing. The panelists discussed how these events benefit the City of San Diego financially and the marketing of these events. Also, the insurance coverage of these athletes was discussed. Jim Miller, Jr. also gave the audience some insights on the new San Diego Chargers stadium issue. Although many parties are working hard to keep in the Chargers in San Diego and different locations are discussed, he is not optimistic that the team would remain here.