Luka Sues His Mom, Robert Sarver Banned, Scott Frost Fired, and MiLB Union Update

Welcome to the intersection of Sports and the Law. Dan Lust is joined this week by Mike Lawson to give you the latest in Sports Law.

Robert Sarver has been suspended for one year and fined $10 million. (2:53) The law firm of Wachtell, Lipton, Rosen & Katz started investigating last November the allegations of racism and misogyny within the Phoenix Suns organization. The report found that Sarver engaged in conduct that clearly violated common workplace standards, as reflected in team and League rules and policies. Sarver is prohibited from all basketball activities and operations for both the Suns and Mercury teams.

MLB through a statement of Commissioner Manfred will voluntarily recognize MiLB as a union. (13:30) MiLB has begun the card process required by NLRB to form a union where they were assessing the interest of Minor League Players to unionize. With the MLB statement, the union will not need to go to a vote and can be recognized immediately. The language of such voluntary recognition is still to be drafted. MiLB has reported that they will allow the MLBPA to negotiate on their behalf. The next CBA to be negotiated will be the 2023 season.

Scott Frost has been terminated as head coach of Nebraska. (18:45) Frost's buyout clause provides him with $15 million. Frost's clause was set to renew on October 1, 2022, which would have only given him $7.5 million for a buyout. Why couldn't Nebraska wait a few more weeks?

Josh Gerben (@JoshGerben) joins to discuss Luka Dončić's trademark battle against his mother. (24:09) Luka's mother trademarked a dozen trademarks in Luka's name in Europe and the US. Luka filed for his own trademark, and it was denied because of his mother's trademarks. However, Luka's mother will not transfer the rights to Luka and his company. Luka has now filed for a petition of cancellation of his mother's trademarks. One of the claims in the cancellation petition is that his mother is not actually using the goods. Luka also revoked the consent he originally provided his mother to file the trademarks with his name in them.

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Dan Wallach (@WallachLegal) | Dan Lust (@SportsLawLust) | Mike Lawson (@mike_sonof_law)

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