Categories
Headline Sports Law

Conference On The BCS And The Future Of Big-Time College Football

What: Sports Law Conference on the BCS and Big-Time College Football

When: November 17-18, 2011

Where: Thomas Jefferson School of Law in San Diego, California

Panels:

Opening Session – Antitrust (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Thursday November 17)

  • Mark Shurtleff, Attorney General of Utah, has initiated the antitrust litigation against the BCS
  • Gordon Schnell, Attorney with Constantine Cannon in NYC
  • James McCurdy, Visiting Professor of Law, University of San Diego
  • Len Simon, antitrust sports lawyer
  • Moderator: Steven Semeraro, antitrust law professor, Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Second Session – Tax and Bowl Issues (2:00 – 5:00 p.m., Thursday November 17)

  • Chad Pehrson, Parr Brown Loveless & Gee in Salt Lake City and co-founder of Playoff PAC
  • Allen R. Sanderson, Senior Lecturer in Economics, University of Chicago
  • David Williams, V.P. Vanderbilt University, also incoming Chair of the NCAA’s Infractions Appeals Committee and member of the Academic Affairs Committee (NCAA)
  • Craig Harris, Arizona Republic, author of major series of articles regarding the bowl system
  • Moderator: Tim Sullivan, San Diego Union

Third Session – Policy 1 (9:00 a.m. – 12:00 p.m., Friday, November 18)

  • Kristi Dosh, Sports Business Reporter for ESPN
  • Christian Dennie, Barlow, Garsek and Simon
  • Roy Kramer, former Commissioner of the SEC, “the father of the BCS”
  • Moderator: Randy Grossman, sports lawyer and member of the Board of Trustees for Thomas Jefferson School of Law

Final Session – Policy 2 (2:00 – 5:00 p.m., Friday November 18)

  • Jeff Levine, teaches sports law at the Phoenix College of Law and has written extensively in the area
  • Rodney K. Smith, Director, Sports Law and Policy Center, Thomas Jefferson School of Law
  • Moderator: Josh Winneker, Assistant Dean of Career Services, Thomas Jefferson School of Law and College Sports Business News, Sports Law Columnist
Cost: Free for Thomas Jefferson School of Law (TJSL) Students, Faculty and Staff; $25 All Other Students with I.D.; $50 TJSL Alumni; $90 General Public. Register here.

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.