Sports Law Analytics

I am done writing the mid-term exam.  The exam covers all the material studied so far this semester.  There are 20 questions.  Here is the breakdown:

True or false  - 11 questions

Fill in the blank - 3 questions

Short answer - 2 questions

Essay - 4 questions

 You will have 150 minutes to complete the mid-term exam.  I will be present during the exam.  A female proctor will also be present.  If anyone needs to use the restroom during the exam, you will be: (i) accompanied and (ii) prohibited from bringing any cell phones (or similar electronic devices) or written materials with you.  The mid-term exam is closed book.  All you will need is a pen or pencil.  If you need scratch paper, just use the back of the exam paper.  Please make sure to write legibly. 

Redacted

I just finished grading the second quiz.  As you know, the quiz is worth 3% of your final course grade.  23 students took the quiz.  The grade distribution is as follows:

3% = 5 students.  In other words, these students got full credit.  They answered each question correctly or thoroughly, as the case may be. 

2.5% = 8 students

2% = 4 students

1.5% = 5 students

1% = 1 student

As I mentioned in class, the easiest way to track your progress in the class is to keep a running (and growing) tally throughout the semester.  The quiz included two true or false questions (each worth 0.5% of the final course grade), one fill in the blank question (worth 0.5% of the final course grade), one short answer (worth 0.5% of the final course grade), and one essay question (worth 1% of the final course grade).    If you are in the class, but didn’t take the quiz (for whatever reason), you will receive a zero.  To allow any kind of make-up quiz would be inherently unfair to the 23 students who took the (unannounced) quiz.

The mid-term exam will be worth 20% of the final course grade.  The type of questions will be similar to the first two quizzes.  In fact, I spent four hours earlier today putting together the mid-term exam.  As of now, the mid-term has eleven true or false questions (each worth 0.5% of the final course grade), three fill in the blank questions (worth 0.5% of the final course grade), two short answer questions (each worth 1.5% of the final course grade), and four essay questions (each worth between 2% and 3% of the final course grade).  You will have 150 minutes to complete the mid-term exam, although the vast majority of you will finish a lot sooner.

The bulk of discussion about gambling is in the major team sports (basketball, baseball, and football).  However, gambling is also (potentially) prevalent in individual sports such as tennis and golf.  For reasons I will describe in class, such individual sports may be even more prone to gambling-related problems.  See below.

http://sport.guardian.co.uk/tennis/story/0,,2176670,00.html?gusrc=rss&feed=7

Stalking is a crime that is sometimes seen in the sports context, most notably in connection with high-profile female athletes.  We will discuss stalking briefly in class.  Below are two articles about stalking cases involving tennis stars Martina Hingis and Anna Kournikova, respectively.

http://www.courttv.com/archive/trials/hingis/background.html

http://www.courttv.com/people/2005/0406/kournikova_ap.html

In my lecture on sports crimes, I will spend a considerable amount of time on gambling.  I will read you an excerpt from Harvard Law School professor Paul Weiler’s book Leveling the Playing Field: How the Law Can Make Sports Better For Fans.  The title of Professor Weiler’s chapter about gambling is “The Deadliest Sin in Sports.”  Given the chapter title, you can probably tell where Professor Weiler stands on the issue.  In contrast, read the short article at the link below by University of Toledo College of Law professor Geoffrey Rapp.  Professor Rapp sees the issue differently.  We will discuss both perspectives in class.

http://writ.lp.findlaw.com/commentary/20021216_rapp.html

An appeals court in Ohio has rendered a decision in the on-going dispute between former basketball coach Jim O’Brien and Ohio State University.  See link below:

http://sports.espn.go.com/ncb/news/story?id=3029106

As we get closer to the mid-term exam (worth 20% of your final grade), I wanted to set forth the class schedule for the next three weeks.

Sept. 25 - We will start and (likely) finish Chapter 4 - Sports Crimes.

Oct. 2 - If needed, we will wrap up Chapter 4 - Sports Crimes.  I will then provide a review lecture covering the four major parts of the sports law course studied so far - (1) sports agents; (2) sports contracts; (3) sports torts; and (4) sports crimes.  I will also be available during class to answer any exam-related questions.

Oct. 9 - Mid-term exam.  The exam will probably include a few true or false questions, a small number of short answer or fill-in-the-blank questions, and a handful of essay questions.  You will have the full 2.5 hours to complete the exam.  As such, you will have plenty of time to provide complete, well-reasoned answers to the essay questions. 

While discussing sports torts, we went over commercial misappropriation.  Here is the latest example (see link below) from the world of sports.  Retired tennis star Andre Agassi has sued Target over the alleged misuse of his name and likeness on some sandals.  When you read the short article, you will also recognize some of the terminology in Agassi’s claim for damages.   

http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2007/tennis/09/18/agassi.target.ap/index.html

Thank you for your feedback regarding office hours.  With everyone’s work/school schedules, there is no time that will work for everyone.  However, I hope the following time works for a few more students.  Barring something unforeseen, I will keep this time for the remainder of the semester.

Mondays - 2:30PM to 4:30PM

Other times by appointment (just email me).