SportsWise: A Podcast About Sports and the Law
Hosted by Gabe Feldman--Director of the Tulane Sports Law Program, NFL Network Legal Analyst, and sports industry consultant, this podcast will look at current and breaking stories in the sports world and tell the largely untold (and often misunderstood) legal story behind the headlines. It will also explore significant sports stories and lawsuits that have been overlooked or forgotten. The goal of the podcast is to help people understand why and how each of these stories and cases have had such a big impact on the sports world and beyond. Who is the podcast for? Three audiences: 1) Sports fans who want to understand more about sports. There is a basic fact that gets overlooked by many sports fans: Most of the rules in sports—from salary caps to free agency restrictions to television deals to franchise relocation requirements to NCAA amateurism rules— are the way they are because of the law, and not simply because teams, leagues, or players want them that way. This podcast will help you become a better and more educated sports fan.2) People who may or may not like sports but who want to explore the idea of sports as a mirror of society. This podcast will help us see sports tell us about bigger social, financial and political issues. For example, what can return to play issues for college and pro sports tell us about how we value the health and safety of our students, the role of athletics in education, economic and civil rights, and the role of sports in society generally. 3) My mom. Because she likes to hear me talk.Enjoy...
Episodes
113 episodes
Ep. 112: The Battle over NIL Compensation (aka, NIL, MMR, CSC and the NCAA) with Rakesh Kilaru, Outside Counsel for the NCAA
On this episode, we dive back into the wild world of college sports with the NCAA's lead outside counsel, Rakesh Kilaru. Over the last year, NIL deals totaling over $240 million have been cleared by the College Sports Commission, in addit...
Ep. 111: College Sports Eligibility Rules, with Diego Pavia's Lawyer, Ryan Downton!
College sports’ eligibility rules are under attack, and Ryan Downton is one of the lawyers leading the charge. He represents Diego Pavia and other athletes challenging NCAA limits on JUCO seasons, redshirts, and the five-year clock. We talk ant...
Ep. 110: More College Sports, with UNC Athletic Director, Bubba Cunningham and Yahoo Sports Senior Editor, Ross Dellenger
On this episode, I’m joined by the Athletic Director at the University of North Carolina, Bubba Cunningham, and Yahoo Sports Senior College Football Reporter, Ross Dellenger, to talk about the latest in college sports. Transfer portal, eligibil...
Ep. 109: Da Bears and a New Stadium!? With George McCaskey, Chairman of the Chicago Bears
On this episode, I'm joined by the chairman of the Chicago Bears. George McCaskey, for a wide ranging conversation about one of the NFL's most iconic franchises, and the challenge of honoring the team's legacy while building for the future, inc...
Ep. 108: The Battles that have Shaped the NFL Into a Cultural and Economic Powerhouse (and what it can teach us about the future of college sports), with Ken Belson
It’s a Super Bowl special episode, and I’m joined by long-time NY Times reporter Ken Belson, to talk about his book 'Every Day is Sunday,' which focuses on how Jerry Jones, Robert Kraft, and others transformed the NFL into a cultural and ...
Ep. 107: College Sports Contract Madness, NCAA Eligibility Battles, and More with Darren Heitner (aka the Lawyer who is Probably Representing or Working with Your Favorite College Athlete)
On this episode, I’m joined by Darren Heitner, the lawyer who has probably been involved in more college sports and NIL matters than anyone in the country—including his current representation of Duke/former Duke quarterback Darian Mensah. ...
Ep. 106: The Power of the NFL Commissioner and the Fates of Stefon Diggs and Christian Barmore, with Sports Law Luminary, Jay Reisinger
On this episode, I'm joined by the most prominent sports lawyer that you've probably never. Heard of. His name is Jay Reisinger, and he has represented some of the highest-profile professional athletes in the country in league disciplinary case...
Ep. 105: Living Legal Legend David Boies on Panini vs. Fanatics, the Legal Challenges Facing College Sports, Living (and Raising Kids) with Dyslexia, and Much More
On this episode, I'm joined by a living legal legend, David Boies. David is truly a man who needs a little introduction, but I will mention three of his most famous cases: US vs. Microsoft, Bush v Gore, and Hollingsworth v. Perry, the landmark ...
Ep. 104: NCAA President Charlie Baker on the Latest in College Sports + Team IMPACT
On this episode, I’m joined by Charlie Baker, President of the NCAA and former Governor of Massachusetts. Charlie discusses the biggest misconceptions about the NCAA, prospects of federal legislation for college sports, the ongoing athlete elig...
Ep. 103: Senator Richard Blumenthal on the Future of College Sports and the SAFE Act vs. the SCORE Act
On this episode, I’m joined by United States Senator Richard Blumenthal. With the push for college sports reform heating up in Congress, Senator Blumenthal breaks down why the SAFE Act—and not the SCORE Act— is the right path forwa...
Ep. 102: The Most Powerful Man in College Sports? Cody Campbell and his Plan to Save College Sports
On this episode, I’m joined by arguably the most powerful man--and one of the wealthiest--in college sports, Cody Campbell. Cody is co-founder and co-CEO of Double Eagle Energy Holdings and chair of the Board ...
Ep. 101: College Coaching Buyout Madness, with former Penn State QB and coach, Jay Paterno.
On this episode, I’m joined by Jay Paterno, former Penn State QB, longtime Penn State assistant coach, son of college football legend Joe Paterno, and now a college sports and NIL consultant. Jay joins to talk about the college coaching carouse...
Ep. 100! Jon Gruden's Battle with the NFL & Roger Goodell, with Jon Gruden's Lawyer, Adam Hosmer-Henner, and ESPN Investigative Reporter, Don Van Natta
On this episode, we go back to the NFL, where one of the biggest stories off the field is Jon Gruden’s ongoing lawsuit against the NFL and Roger Goodell, where he alleges that the NFL and Goodell “engaged in a malicious and orchestrated c...
Ep. 99: Behind the Scenes of the NFL-NFLPA Battles, with De Smith, former NFLPA Executive Director,
On this episode, I’m joined by De Smith, the former longtime executive director of the NFLPA. De discusses his new book Turf Wars, his battles with Roger Goodell, the "petulant" NFL owners and their "diabolical general counsel," his pe...
Ep. 98: The Room Where it Happens for College Sports, with Julie Roe Lach
On this episode, I'm joined by Julie Roe Lach, Commissioner of the Horizon League. Most of the talk about the new era of college sports has focused on the Power Four conference, but Julie helps break down what a group of non-FBS Division I conf...
Ep. 97: The Case for College Athletes as Unionized Employees. With Jennifer Abruzzo, former NLRB General Counsel
On this episode, I'm joined by the former General Counsel of the National Labor Relations Board, Jennifer Abruzzo. Jennifer discusses:1) Why she thinks college athletes should be unionized employees who engage in collective bargaining
Ep. 96: College Sports and the Looming Title IX Challenges, with Janet Judge
Legendary Title IX and sports lawyer, Janet Judge, joins to talk about the potential Title IX issues in college sports raised by the new roster caps, revenue sharing with athletes, the college sports executive order, and everything else you wan...
Ep. 95: Breaking Down the NFLPA Saga, with Pro Football Talk's Mike Florio
Mike Florio, creator and longtime editor of Pro Football Talk, author, radio host, television commentator, co-host of the Daily NFL Talk Show on Peacock with Chris Sims, and contributor to NBC's Sunday night NFL Studio show, Footba...
Ep. 94: An Inside Look at Buying and Selling Pro Sports Teams, Stadium Development, and Private Equity in Pro and College Sports, with Sports Business Lawyer Irwin Raij
Irwin Raij, partner at Sidley and Co-Chair of their Entertainment, Sports, and Media Group, joins the pod to discuss what it means to be a sports business lawyer, issues around buying and selling pro sports teams, trends in sports stadiu...
Ep. 93: Federal Legislation for College Sports? Breaking down the SCORE Act with Congresswoman Lori Trahan.
Congresswoman Lori Trahan, a former DI college volleyball player and a go-to voice in Congress on college sports issues (among many other issues) gives her perspective on the SCORE Act, the college sports bill that has progressed further than a...
Ep. 92: The Collision between Immigration Law and College Sports: Can International College Athletes be Paid in the New NIL Era? With Sports Immigration Lawyer Catherine Haight
On this episode, we tackle the collision of immigration law and college sports. With 100s of millions of dollars now flowing to college athletes, are international athletes allowed to get a piece of the new revenue pie? To help me break it all ...
Ep. 91: The Collision between Title IX and the New NIL Era in College Sports, with Arthur Bryant.
On this episode, we tackle the pending and looming Title IX challenges to NIL payments to college athletes from collectives and challenges to the new payments that schools will be making directly to athletes. To help me break it all down, I'm ...
Ep. 90: The Future of Olympic Sports, with Dr. Jaime Gordon.
Dr. Jaime Gordon, CEO of the American Volleyball Coaches Association, joins the pod to discuss the future of Olympic sports and the impact—including schools dropping sports-that the new rules in college sports will have on Olympic sports on col...
Ep. 89: The Final House vs. NCAA Podcast (for now) with...Grant House!
After five years of talking about the House case and the House settlement, I'm joined by none other than Grant House, the actual House in House.Grant talks about his role and goal with the lawsuit, his...
Ep. 88: Title IX in the New College Sports Landscape and an Appeal of the House Settlement. With John Clune, Partner at Hutchinson, Black and Cook.
John Clune, partner at Hutchinson Black and Cook, joins the pod to discuss the Title IX lawsuits that many schools will likely face because they are (reportedly) planning to distribute up to 90% of the new payments under the House sett...