K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - April 2025 #3

Sports:

NCAA

• The settlement of a $2.8 billion federal class-action antitrust lawsuit filed by athletes against the NCAA and the largest conferences (ACC, Big Ten, Big 12, Pac-12 and SEC) was approved by the defendants and plaintiffs in May 2024 and not long afterward by U.S. Judge Claudia Wilken, who must give final approval before terms can go into effect as early as July 1. Wilken held a final hearing Monday, though she said she plans a formal ruling later. Some questions and answers about this monumental change for college athletics. What is the House settlement involving college sports and why does it matter? – AP
• In a twist to one of college basketball’s most high-profile NIL controversies, not all six former Florida State players who initially filed suit against Leonard Hamilton will follow through with legal action—leaving the legendary coach partly off the legal hook as he steps away from the game. In a twist to one of college basketball’s most high-profile NIL controversies, not all six former Florida State players who initially filed suit against Leonard Hamilton will follow through with legal action—leaving the legendary coach partly off the legal hook as he steps away from the game. – Athlon Sports
• Four football players from Duke and the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill filed two separate lawsuits in North Carolina Business Court on Friday after the NCAA denied their requests for another year of eligibility, adding to the growing list of plaintiffs protesting the organization’s eligibility rules. Duke, UNC Football Players Sue NCAA Over Eligibility Waivers – Law360

NBA

• The NBA’s licensing arm filed a copyright infringement suit Friday in Illinois federal court against a cadre of foreign e-commerce operators for allegedly selling counterfeit merchandise, saying the fake products are diluting its brand, harming its reputation and diverting money from its coffers. NBA’s Licensing Arm Seeks To Block Foreign Counterfeiters – Law360
• In a courtroom twist as dramatic as a buzzer-beater shot, Hall of Fame NBA legend Shaquille O’Neal has secured final judicial approval of an $11 million class action settlement tied to his promotion of the Astrals NFT project. Shaq Scores Court Win with Final Approval of $11M Settlement in NFT Lawsuit – USA Herald

NFL

• An appeals court Wednesday backed the Miami Dolphins and the operator of Hard Rock Stadium in a dispute about whether a lawsuit over a fan’s injury should be sent to arbitration. Miami Dolphins, Hard Rock Stadium to settle fan’s injury lawsuit through arbitration after appeals court ruling – CBS

Entertainment:

FILM & TELEVISION

• DC Comics and Warner Bros. Discovery argued a federal judge should reject an effort to partially block the release of their upcoming Superman movie in certain countries because the copyright lawsuit targeting the film was filed too late and without merit. DC Comics, Warner Bros. Urge Judge Not to Block ‘Superman’ Movie
• An L.A. judge denied a bid by CBS to block Sony Pictures Television from terminating its agreements that gave CBS exclusive rights to distribute Jeopardy! and Wheel of Fortune, but the network is not eliminated from the contest yet as the ruling only denied a preliminary injunction. Wheel of Fortune, Jeopardy!: CBS Loses Right to Distribute
• Lions Gate Entertainment Inc. accused film company Umbrelic Entertainment of trademark infringement for willfully using “Anchor Bay, the name of a film distributor subsidiary folded into Lions Gate in 2017. Lions Gate Slams Film Company ‘Revival’ of Its ‘Anchor Bay’ Mark
• Disney doesn’t deserve $5.7 million in fees for beating an animator’s copyright suit accusing it of ripping off his Polynesian adventure story to create Moana, the plaintiff said, arguing his case wasn’t frivolous, considering the CA federal judge found multiple times that sufficient similarity existed between the works. Disney Doesn’t Deserve $5.7M Fee In ‘Moana’ Suit, Artist Says – Law360

MUSIC

• A CA federal judge denied a bid from Live Nation and Ticketmaster to toss an antitrust case from consumers alleging monopolization of the concert ticketing market, following a tentative ruling issued earlier this week while finding a recent antitrust win for Amazon doesn’t translate to the case before him. Live Nation and Ticketmaster Must Face Antitrust Claims, Judge Rules

LAWSUITS OF THE RICH & FAMOUS

• Blake Lively urged a TX federal court to toss a PR consultant’s defamation suit alleging Lively falsely roped the consultant into her sexual harassment and retaliation claims against her estranged co-star Justin Baldoni, saying the case lacks merit and shouldn’t be adjudicated in TX. Lively Seeks To Ax PR Rep’s ‘It Ends With Us’ Defamation Suit – Law360 Meanwhile, Baldoni is suing his former publicist, claiming she sparked the legal firestorm between him and Blake Lively by leaking private text messages. Justin Baldoni Sues His Ex-Publicist for Allegedly Sparking ‘Catastrophic’ Blake Lively Lawsuit by Leaking Texts
• A producer of Blade Runner 2049 can keep pursuing direct copyright infringement claims that Tesla “literally copied” using AI and an image from the movie to promote its Cybercab. Tesla, Warner Bros fend off some claims in ‘Blade Runner 2049’ ad dispute | Reuters
• A NY state jury held that Oscar-nominated screenwriter and director James Toback must pay $1.68 billion to 40 women he sexually assaulted over the course of four decades, according to an announcement from the victims’ lawyers. James Toback Hit With $1.7 Billion Verdict in Sex Assault Suit
• Woody Allen struck a deal with his former private chef to resolve his suit accusing the filmmaker of abruptly firing him after he took time off to participate in military exercises as a member of the U.S. Army Reserve, a filing in NY federal court said. Woody Allen Resolves Private Chef’s Military Leave Suit – Law360