K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - March 2025 #4

Sports:

• Twelve current and former tennis professionals filed a proposed antitrust class action in New York federal court on Tuesday, accusing the sport’s governing bodies of operating as a “cartel” that manipulates pay and rankings, forces unsafe playing conditions, and exposes players to unfair investigations and discipline. Tennis Governing Bodies Are A ‘Cartel,’ Players Claim In Suit – Law360

NBA

• The NBA has urged the U.S. Supreme Court to weigh in on a Second Circuit decision that revived a Video Privacy Protection Act suit alleging that the league shared video viewing activities of its website’s visitors with Meta, arguing that the plaintiff lacked standing since the information wasn’t publicly disseminated or highly personal. NBA Asks High Court To Weigh In On VPPA Data Sharing Suit – Law360

NCAA

• Former NFL and University of Michigan assistant football coach Matt Weiss hacked into the computer accounts of thousands of college athletes seeking intimate photos and videos, according to an indictment filed Thursday. Former NFL, Michigan assistant coach Matt Weiss charged with hacking for athletes’ intimate photos – AP
• Safety Jett Elad is looking to play football for his fourth university and the chance to land a $500,000 NIL deal. In order to do that, he is taking the NCAA to court. Elad-who previously played at Ohio University, Garden City Community College in Kansas and UNLV-filed a complaint in a New Jersey federal district court on Thursday, demanding an injunction that would block the NCAA from enforcing a rule that bars his eligibility. Rutgers Transfer Sues NCAA to Extend Football Eligibility – Sportico
• The NCAA successfully fended off an attempt by the state of Texas that would have forced it to screen athletes to determine their sex. Judge Les Hatch of the 237th District Court in Lubbock, Texas on Tuesday denied Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton’s request for a temporary injunction that would’ve required the screening, as the NCAA’s postseason women’s tournament kicks off this week. Texas Bid to Screen Athletes Denied Ahead of NCAA March Madness – Bloomberg

NFL

• A widow in New Jersey, who is suing the NFL alleging it overworked her late husband to the point of exhaustion and caused his fatal car accident, has told a state court the organization is needlessly trying to delay the case with several postponements already on the record and a recent request for another. NFL Keeps Delaying Wrongful Death Suit, NJ Widow Says – Law360

Entertainment:

MUSIC

• Universal Music Group urged a NY federal judge to throw out Drake’s lawsuit over the hit Kendrick Lamar diss track “Not Like Us,” saying Drake cannot claim defamation for hyperbolic insults that came out of a rap battle “in which he willingly participated.” Drake’s record label files motion to dismiss his lawsuit over Kendrick Lamar’s ‘Not Like Us’
• Miley Cyrus must face a copyright infringement suit over her song “Flowers,” a federal judge ruled, batting down a unique legal defense based on a 9^th Circuit quirk. Miley Cyrus Loses Bid To End ‘Flowers’ Lawsuit Over Bruno Mars Song
• A former employee of rapper Eminem was charged in an FBI complaint with criminal copyright infringement after unreleased music began circulating online. Eminem employee charged for stealing, selling unreleased music
• Mariah Carey prevailed in court when a federal judge dismissed copyright claims over her perennial holiday chart-topper “All I Want for Christmas Is You.” Mariah Carey didn’t steal ‘All I Want For Christmas Is You’ from other writers, a judge says
• Universal Music Group lost its bid to have a CA federal court toss out copyright infringement claims brought by rock band Limp Bizkit’s frontman Fred Durst, even as it agreed to dismiss the suit’s state law claims. Limp Bizkit’s $200 Million Lawsuit Against UMG Moves Ahead
• Music publishers urged a CA federal magistrate judge to order AI company Anthropic to produce certain song lyric data from both before and after Anthropic implemented “guardrails” to prevent Anthropic’s AI tool “Claude” from outputting copyrighted lyrics, while Anthropic slammed the discovery request as overly broad. Music Publishers, Anthropic Fight Over Song Lyric Discovery – Law360

FILM & TELEVISION

• Film production company Village Roadshow filed Chapter 11 in DE, listing about $390 million of debt and blaming a fight with production partner Warner Bros. over the release of 2021’s The Matrix Resurrections for its financial problems. Village Roadshow files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy
• A filmmaker who alleges that Netflix, NBA superstar LeBron James and others lifted elements from one of his scripts to make the streaming service’s movie Rez Ball has urged a CA federal court to deny the defendant’s bid to file an early summary judgment motion, saying comprehensive discovery is needed first. Filmmaker Questions Netflix Defense In IP Suit Over ‘Rez Ball’ – Law360

LAWSUITS OF THE RICH & FAMOUS

• Ryan Reynolds has urged a NY federal court to throw out Justin Baldoni‘s defamation suit against him, arguing that the It Ends With Us actor-director’s complaint is devoid of any legitimate allegations and merely stems from Baldoni’s “hurt feelings” in his ongoing beef with Reynolds and Blake Lively. Ryan Reynolds requests to be dropped from Justin Baldoni’s lawsuit in wife Blake Lively’s legal battle | CNN Meanwhile, Lively urged the court to toss Baldoni’s claims that she defamed him with sexual harassment allegations, saying the law prohibits such retaliatory libel suits and that he has committed an “epic self-own” that will put him on the hook for additional damages. Blake Lively seeks to end Justin Baldoni’s ‘vengeful’ $400 million defamation lawsuit | Reuters
• Revlon Consumer Products LLC settled claims an ex-employee stole its trade secrets and perfume-licensing relationship with Britney Spears, a month after her new company announced a deal to buy the fragrance rights and end the suit. Revlon Winds Down Britney Spears Perfume Trade Secrets Case (1)
• The lead singer of the rock band Disturbed has brought a lawsuit against the owner of the Miami-area digs he was renting for $18,500 a month, saying mold spawned by a leaky roof created a condition that impacted his ability to tour with his band. ‘Disturbed’ Singer Down With Sickness From Mold Sues Landlord – Law360