K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - May 2024 #4

Sports:

• Sports betting stocks were jolted in early action on Tuesday after the Illinois State Senate passed a bill on Sunday proposing higher taxes on online sports betting operations. Under the new proposal, online sports betting operators will begin paying higher taxes on July 1, ranging from 20% to 40% depending on their level of annual revenue. Sports betting operators in Illinois have been paying a 15% tax since June 2021. Governor J.B. Pritzker proposed an increase to 35% earlier in the year. Online sports betting operators jolted by tax legislation in Illinois – Seeking Alpha

OLYMPICS

• An alleged doping case involving 23 Chinese swimmers took a diplomatic twist on Wednesday after US lawmakers called on the US Department of Justice and the International Olympic Committee to launch inquiries into the controversy. US lawmakers call for DOJ, IOC investigations into allegations of Chinese doping before Olympics – CNN

GOLF

• Six days after Scottie Scheffler, the world’s top-ranked golfer, was arrested in Louisville, police released a new video that apparently shows his car moments after police say he refused to comply with an order to stop and dragged a detective to the ground. But the video does not show the moment the detective says he was dragged to the ground. NBC News’ Stephanie Gosk reports. Louisville police release new video of arrest of golfer Scottie Scheffler – NBC NEWS

NCAA

• The nearly $2.8 billion settlement that has been approved by the NCAA and the nation’s five largest conferences is a historic step toward a more professional model for college sports. Who gets paid? How much? What to know about the landmark NCAA settlement – AP
• A Colorado federal judge on Thursday rejected a bid by the National Collegiate Athletic Association and collegiate athletic conferences to move athletes’ compensation allegations to California, where two similar cases are being heard, highlighting the choice by named plaintiffs to have their claims heard in Colorado. NCAA Can’t Move Colo. Athlete Pay Case – Law360
• Florida State University has amended a second complaint in its lawsuit against the Atlantic Coast Conference. This move comes after Leon County Judge John C. Cooper dismissed FSU’s case against the ACC without prejudice, allowing the public institution to refile with clearer language and a stronger argument as to why this case should be held in Leon County as the ACC is headquartered in Mecklenburg, North Carolina. FSU Amends Second Complaint In ACC Lawsuit, Ridicules Conference Management – Sports Illustrated

MLB

• The city of Oakland is selling its share of the Coliseum — home to the departing Oakland Athletics — to a local Black development group for at least $105 million, Mayor Sheng Thao announced Wednesday. City strikes deal to sell its half of soon-to-be-former Oakland A’s coliseum – AP
• Major League Baseball says robot home plate umpires are unlikely for 2025. “We still have some technical issues,” baseball Commissioner Rob Manfred said Thursday at a news conference following an owners meeting. “We haven’t made as much progress in the minor leagues this year as we sort of hoped at this point. I think it’s becoming more and more likely that this will not be a go for ’25.” MLB says robot home plate umpires unlikely for 2025 – AP
• A former MLB player is set to go on trial in early June alongside another defendant on charges that include murder and attempted murder in connection to a 2021 shooting in Homewood, California. The victims were reportedly the in-laws of one suspect. Danny Serafini, 50, and Samantha Scott, 34, are scheduled to be in court June 3 in the shooting death of Robert Gary Spohr and attempted murder of his wife, Wendy Wood, in their Homewood residence in 2021. Former MLB pitcher Danny Serafini gets trial date in 2021 Tahoe killing – Reno-Gazette Journal

NFL

• Two women have sued NFL kicker Brandon McManus and the Jacksonville Jaguars over allegations of sexual assault during the team’s flight to London last season, according to ESPN’s Michael DiRocco. Brandon McManus Accused of Sexual Assault; NFL Kicker, Jaguars Sued for $1M – Bleacher Report

Entertainment:

MUSIC

• The U.S. Department of Justice has sued Live Nation over the 2010 agreement clearing the concert promotion giant’s purchase of Ticketmaster, an oft-maligned deal that enforcers now want to unwind and that is blamed for fiascoes like the meltdown of ticket sales for Taylor Swift’s Eras tour. Live Nation sued by DOJ over alleged Ticketmaster ‘monopoly’ (nbcnews.com) Meanwhile, Live Nation is also facing a proposed consumer class action that alleges unfair predatory ticket pricing in the live music event market space. Live Nation faces class action that could involve millions of ticket buyers (completemusicupdate.com)
• Beyoncé, Jay-Z, Sony Music Entertainment, and other artists were sued by a New Orleans music group who said the song “Break My Soul” sampled a track from rapper Big Freedia that copied their lyrics and composition. Beyoncé, Big Freedia accused of copyright infringement in ‘Break My Soul’ (usatoday.com)
• Sony Music Entertainment and eight other affiliated record labels accused hotel chain Marriott International Inc. of willfully using unlicensed songs by artists including Beyoncé and Doja Cat in hundreds of promotional social media posts. Sony Music sues Marriott Hotels for alleged ‘rampant’ copyright infringement in social media posts – Music Business Worldwide
• A FL federal judge has ordered a concert producer and promoter to pay $750,000 to the entity that owns the music of Earth, Wind & Fire after the band won a summary judgment ruling that found the defendants infringed the legendary group’s trademarks by organizing concerts featuring their music and name. Earth, Wind & Fire Wins $750K Tribute Band Settlement (billboard.com)
• The family of the youngest Astroworld victim have settled their case, an attorney for the family said Thursday, bringing the end of all wrongful death litigation stemming from the crowd crush at the 2021 music festival. Family of youngest Astroworld victim settles lawsuit | khou.com

FILM & TELEVISION

• An NM state judge denied Alec Baldwin‘s motion to dismiss his indictment on involuntary manslaughter charges in the fatal on-set shooting of a cinematographer during the filming of Rust, rejecting the actor’s claims of prosecutorial misconduct before the grand jury. Alec Baldwin: Judge denies motion to dismiss indictment in ‘Rust’ shooting case | CNN
• A former segment producer and creative consultant on ABC’s comedy show The Prank Panel has sued Johnny Knoxville and others in CA state court, alleging he broke his leg after getting tased by the Jackass star in a prank gone awry. Johnny Knoxville & Others Zapped With $3M Suit By Tasered ‘Prank Panel’ Producer (deadline.com)
• Warner Bros. infringed a voice actor’s copyrights by using his recordings made for a Harry Potter toy in numerous other toys, videos, and tourist attractions, according to a new lawsuit. Warner Bros sued by voice of ‘Harry Potter’ Sorting Hat toy over copyrights | Reuters
• A CA judge ruled that Vanderpump Rules star Tom Sandoval cannot escape all claims in a suit by former co-star Rachel Leviss alleging he secretly recorded sexually explicit videos she sent him, leading to the show’s “Scandoval” cheating scandal, dismissing one claim but allowing Leviss to amend the complaint. Raquel Leviss’ Lawsuit Against Tom Sandoval Survives Challenge (rollingstone.com)
• Paramount Pictures Corp. failed to pay crew members working on movie productions their total wages, denied them proper rest breaks and refused to reimburse them for out-of-pocket expenses, according to a proposed Private Attorneys General Act class action filed in CA state court. Paramount Pictures Violated Wage Laws, Crew Member Says – Law360 UK

MEANWHILE, IN HOLLYWOOD…

• Scarlett Johansson revealed in a statement that she declined OpenAI CEO Sam Altman’s offer to voice the current ChatGPT, but said she was “shocked, angered and in disbelief” when she recently heard a demo of the generative artificial intelligence system’s voice that “sounded so eerily similar” to her own. Scarlett Johansson Reacts to OpenAI Sky Voice: ‘Shocked’ and ‘Angered’ (variety.com)
• Elvis’s granddaughter, actress Riley Keough, has sued to stop what she calls a fraudulent scheme to sell Graceland and has won an injunction to pause the sale. Judge delays Graceland sale, suggests Elvis’ granddaughter Riley Keough could win fraud claims (nbcnews.com)
• The photographer who sued celebrity artist Kat Von D over her tattoo of jazz legend Miles Davis asked the 9^th Circuit to review a jury’s ruling that the tattoo isn’t substantially similar to the original Davis portrait. Photographer Appeals Kat Von D Tattoo Rulings to Ninth Circuit (bloomberglaw.com)
• Rapper Wiz Khalifa has settled a lawsuit filed by the co-owner of his cannabis enterprise who claimed he was cut out of a $20 million deal to license the artist’s name and likeness to promote cannabis products. Wiz Khalifa Settles Suit Over Cannabis Venture – Law360