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Shabbat Shalom: Friday Wrap-up (3/28/2014)

Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant speaks during a press conference before the 2014 NBA All-Star Game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
Los Angeles Lakers guard Kobe Bryant speaks during a press conference before the 2014 NBA All-Star Game at the Smoothie King Center. Mandatory Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports
With time off the court, Kobe Bryant creates Kobe Inc. and makes a big investment. Photo Credit: Bob Donnan-USA TODAY Sports

It’s Great To Be A Florida Gator.  I was in Gainesville the last time the Gators men’s basketball team won a couple of championships, and I remember the joy I felt watching that team destroy the competition.  It may be more gratifying watching this year’s team, albeit many miles away, which is undoubtedly less talented on an individual basis, but amazing to see compete as a team.  Hopefully it is an easy win and then on to the Final Four in Dallas.  Last night was a lot of fun (and hence why the wrap-up is coming to you a little late).  There was a huge celebration for the release of my new book in conjunction with a fantastic sports business networking event.  It felt good to be a sports business-related practitioner based in Miami.  This week on FORBES: (1) DraftKings Responds To FanDuel’s Fantasy Sports False Advertising Claim; and (2) Northwestern Football Union Decision Should Mark The End Of The Student-Athlete.  Also a contribution on STACK: How Northwestern Football Players’ Right to Unionize Could Change College Sports.  And as always, the weekly wrap-up:

Football

Baseball

Basketball

Sports Law

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.