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Book Reviews Sports Law

Book Review: Taking Sports Seriously

It’s not about sports agents, but it is freaking awesome.  I am not going to lie and tell you that I read every page of Taking Sports Seriously: Law and Sports in Contemporary American Culture by Jeffrey Standen (in fact, I skipped the entire chapter on Sports Books…why do I want to read a book that is going to tell me about other books I should or should not read?).  Despite that chapter, I loved the book by Standen.  In fact, I have enjoyed Standen’s work in the past that I have read on his thought provoking blog, The Sports Law Professor.

taking sports seriously

Taking Sports Seriously took me a very long time to read.  It is 320 pages, but I enjoyed reading it so much that I wanted to take my time reading each chapter (besides Chapter 4) and actually reflect on many of Standen’s controversial statements.  Reading the book made me reconsider many of my stances on various sports law related issues.  Some things I agreed with, others I did not, but either way, the topics and Standen’s commentary are outstanding.

Everything from player violence, fan injuries, free agency, player agents (okay, I guess he discusses our profession a little bit), drug-testing, athletes as role models, gambling, and much more, is covered in Taking Sports Seriously.  Anybody interested in sports will find it to be a good read, but those also interested in the law will take an extra liking to Standen’s writing.  Two of my favorite pieces concern paying college student-athletes and athletes as role models.

Even though I am extremely busy this semester between school, managing this site, and running Dynasty (among other things), I still found some time every day to read a few pages of Standen’s book.  I suggest you pick it up and do the same.

By Darren Heitner

Darren Adam Heitner, Esq., is a preeminent sports attorney and the founder of Heitner Legal, P.L.L.C., a Fort Lauderdale-based law firm specializing in sports law, contract negotiations, intellectual property, and arbitration. He earned his Juris Doctor from the University of Florida Levin College of Law in 2010 and a Bachelor of Arts in Political Science, magna cum laude, from the University of Florida in 2007, where he was named Valedictorian of the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences. Admitted to practice in the state bars of Florida, New York, and the District of Columbia, as well as multiple federal courts, Darren also serves as a certified arbitrator with the American Arbitration Association.

As an adjunct professor, Darren imparts his expertise through teaching Sports Law at the University of Florida Levin College of Law and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) at the University of Miami School of Law in the Entertainment, Arts, and Sports Law LL.M. program. His scholarly contributions include authoring several books published by the American Bar Association, such as How to Play the Game: What Every Sports Attorney Needs to Know, and numerous articles in prominent publications like Forbes, Inc. Magazine, and Above the Law. His thought leadership in NIL has earned him recognition as one of the foremost experts by The Wall Street Journal, USA TODAY, and On3, and he has been lauded as a “power player in NIL deals” by Action Network and a “top sports trademark attorney” by Sportico.

Darren’s passion for sports law led him to establish Sports Agent Blog on December 31, 2005, initially titled “I Want To Be A Sports Agent.” The platform, created as a New Year’s resolution, has grown into a cornerstone of the sports agency community, offering in-depth analysis of industry trends, legal disputes, and agent-player dynamics. His commitment to the field is further evidenced by his representation of numerous athletes and sports agents, as well as his prior role as an Adjunct Professor at Indiana University Bloomington, where he developed and taught a course on Sport Agency Management from 2011 to 2014.

Darren’s contributions have been recognized with prestigious honors, including the University of Florida’s 40 Under 40 Award, the University of Florida Levin College of Law’s Outstanding Young Alumnus Award, and designation as the best lawyer in Fort Lauderdale by Fort Lauderdale Magazine. He remains an active voice in the sports law community, sharing insights through his weekly NIL newsletter and his X posts, engaging a broad audience on legal developments in sports.