This is my first post since coming back from a nice weekend vacation to the Bahamas. I was able to catch the tough loss for Kansas against VCU this weekend. Let’s not focus too much on that, and instead, look at something promising for Kansas in the near future.
What: KU Sports & Entertainment Law Symposium
When: Friday, April 15, 2011
Where: Green Hall Room 203
Topics
- Hey, who Tweeted? It wasn’t me!
Social media provides a great forum in which to express oneself, but what free speech rights do collegiate student athletics have within it? May a member institution legally limit student-athlete access to social media? How should athletic departments deal with “ghost tweets” – fake social media accounts and messages attributed to student-athletes, coaches and staff that could make headlines?
- Right of Publicity and Former Student-Athletes
The Ed O’Bannon Case – When do the grant-in-aid rights signed away in college end? Is a former athlete’s likeness forever the property of the NCAA and their member institutions? How will the right of publicity landscape change in the future for student-athletes?
- Death of the NCAA: Could the Super Conference Change the Game?
Could a “Super Conference” system redefine intercollegiate amateurism? What would be the ramifications for student-athletes at institutions that opt out of the NCAA? What would be the ramifications for the NCAA?
- Who Represents the Student-Athlete?
If the grant-in-aid (or scholarship) is a contractual relationship with a NCAA member institution, what power does the student athlete have to negotiate the terms? Who may represent the student athlete without risking NCAA eligibility? Should students fight to be considered employees and unionize? What role should agents play with collegiate athletes? How may the NCAA change such role in the future? How do pro sports league labor negotiations affect the current college student-athletes wishing to enter the pro sports field?
- Big Headache: Ethical Issues Associated with College Football Concussions and Mass Tort Litigation
As research demonstrates the long-term negative effects of damaged caused by repeated head injuries sustained in football, what liability, if any, does the NCAA and member institutions have? What information and education is being provided to student-athletes by the NCAA, member institutions, medical staff, etc. regarding concussions and the associated risks? What rights do former student-athletes have to recover for their injuries?
If you have any questions, please email Jade Freeman at Jadefeeman@ku.edu or Libby Harmon at Libby912@ku.edu.
