Welcome back to “Spotlight” – this is the first and certainly not the last of summer 2022. That’s right, folks. While I hope my readership fades to “spouse and blood relative” levels, I’ll still be the proverbial tree that falls in the woods as I produce content on the off chance there are eyeballs to read it. Although the weather has been unseasonably cold here on the East Coast, temperatures appear to be reaching a metaphorical boiling point for Washington Commanders owner Dan Snyder as he appears to be about to be subpoenaed by the Oversight Committee of the Chamber investigating allegations of rampant workplace misconduct within the commanders’ organization and a subsequent bogus investigation apparently accepted by the NFL. If Snyder complies with the subpoena, he will do so immediately after NFL Commissioner Roger Goodell was questioned yesterday. And if Goodell’s experience is any indication of how intense it could be for Snyder, he had better lather up with SPF 100 to withstand the attention of Congress. For all of you, a kinder and jovial “Spotlight” follows:
No amount of glowing skin could protect Hailey Bieber’s skincare company, Rhode (also Bieber’s middle name), from being taken to court to respond to claims of trademark infringement by a brand established fashion brand of the same name (Rhode). Of course, who could forget trademark specialist William Shakespeare’s time-honored words, “A Rhode by any other name would sound just as sweet”? Perhaps paving the way for greater acceptance of cannabis-derived products, Major League Baseball became the first major sports league to allow teams to enter into endorsement deals with cannabidiol (CBD) companies, as long as the companies’ products are certified by NSF International as not containing detectable levels of the psychoactive compound tetrahydrocannabinol (THC). Translation: My God, MLB said it was okay with CBD. South Korean entertainment company and “Baby Shark” creator Pinkfong is launching a new NFT project based on (what else?) “Baby Shark.” Apologies to those of you whose memories of hearing that song repeatedly were unearthed.
Sponsorship agreements, sponsorships and investments
Blurred Lines: Athlete Investors on the Rise as Brands Embrace New Ways to Partner with Sports Stars
June 22, 2022 via City AM
When Anthony Joshua and Dazn announced a new partnership last week, one of the most striking aspects of the deal was that it involved the British heavyweight boxer acquiring a stake in the sports streaming platform.
Once empowered by Title IX, female athletes are now among the big winners in the new NIL era
June 21, 2022 via Los Angeles Times
An 8-year-old girl grabs the chain on a playground swing. “If you let me play”, she starts her. During the rest of the Nike ad that first aired in 1995, girls play on a merry-go-round, sit on a swing and throw a baseball while a list of statistics shows the physical and emotional benefits of playing sports.
Rhode, the fashion brand, is suing Rhode, Hailey Bieber’s beauty line
June 21, 2022 via Fashionista
Rhode, the fashion brand co-founded by Purna Khatau and Phoebe Vickers in 2014, is taking legal action against Hailey Bieber and her skincare line, also Rhode, because of her name.
MLB Approves CBD Sponsorships in Historic Change for Sports Leagues
June 22, 2022 via Sports Business Journal
MLB and its teams are now free to sell CBD sponsorships, a development that will likely reverberate across the industry and open up a new category of sponsorship in professional sports.
Sports
Deshaun Watson’s 20 deals may be too late to dodge NFL suspension
June 21, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
Attorney Tony Buzbee, who is representing plaintiffs in 24 lawsuits filed against Cleveland Browns quarterback Deshaun Watson for alleged sexual misconduct in massage therapy, announced that 20 of the lawsuits have been provisionally settled.
Oliver Luck and Vince McMahon Settle XFL Breach of Contract Lawsuit
June 20, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
Former XFL commissioner Oliver Luck and Vince McMahon have reached a settlement in their federal breach of contract lawsuit. The terms of the agreement are not known. Luck, who was fired for cause as XFL commissioner in April 2020, sued McMahon and Alpha Entertainment for more than $23.8 million.
SEC fears from Johnson v. NCAA Labor Case Presented in an Amicus Brief
June 20, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
In the latest sign that Johnson v. NCAA, a federal case arguing that college athletes should be paid at least as much as their work and school peers, is troubling the establishment, the Southeastern Conference and a group of 13 educational associations have filed amicus briefs. before the United States Court of Appeals for the Third Circuit.
music business
Music producer earns streaming queue royalty
June 21, 2022 via Law 360 (subscription may be required)
A high-profile electronic music producer said his former record company had agreed to meet his demands for higher royalties from online streaming to settle his legal battle.
’70s rockers say Warner cuts musicians’ streaming royalties
June 17, 2022 via Law 360 (subscription may be required)
Two members of the 1970s pop rock band Orleans have accused Warner Music of intentionally miscalculating royalty rates for digital streaming of recordings and depriving musicians of their proper compensation, according to a proposed class action lawsuit. in federal court in Nashville.
Sony Fights To Drop Jimi Hendrix UK Copyright Case
June 17, 2022 via Law 360 (subscription may be required)
Sony Music’s UK division tried to stop a copyright challenge in England over royalties from recordings of Jimi Hendrix songs as they relate to proceedings in the US.
film and television
Naomi Osaka launches media company with LeBron James’ SpringHill
June 21, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
Tennis superstar Naomi Osaka is getting into the entertainment business, launching a media company in partnership with LeBron James and Maverick Carter’s The SpringHill Company.
David Beckham’s Studio 99 Backs Multi-Million Dollar Premier League Series
June 21, 2022 via Sportico (subscription may be required)
David Beckham’s Studio 99 is producing a series on the rise of football’s Premier League billionaires for Paramount+ as the streamer presents a list of 5 UK Facts including shows on luxury yachts, the Loch Ness monster, Simple Minds and strippers in Las Vegas, Deadline reports.
LIV Golf has marquee names and giant purses. So why is there no TV deal?
June 16, 2022 via Chicago Tribune
For the newly launched Saudi Arabia-backed LIV Golf Tour, the strategy to lure top golfers like Phil Mickelson and Dustin Johnson away from the prestige and stability of the PGA Tour was simple: offer cash, and lots of it.
Game On: Sports begin to take over the biggest cable TV networks
June 16, 2022 via Variety
FX has long been known for iconoclastic dramas like “The Shield” or “The Americans” that feature flawed leads and clever plots. Next year, it may offer more of those things, but not scripted series.
Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)
Tarantino Tells Court Miramax Has No Right To Block ‘Pulp Fiction’ NFTs
June 22, 2022 via Reuters
Director Quentin Tarantino told a Los Angeles federal court that Miramax LLC cannot block his auction of “Pulp Fiction” NFTs because they are based solely on his script, which he says the studio has no rights to.
Exclusive: French Montana Reveals Plans to Impact Music and Crypto with Web3, NFT and Metaverse
June 21, 2022 via Benzinga
Speaking exclusively with ChangeNOW PR Director Mike Ermolaev, rapper French Montana, 17-time Billboard Global Top 10, has made a big announcement about his entry into the cryptocurrency space, a move set to revolutionize music. , Web 3 and NFTs. ecosystems
Pinkfong announces its first generative NFT project
June 20, 2022 via WILX-TV
The Pinkfong Company, the global entertainment company behind the pop culture phenomenon “Baby Shark,” has announced that it will delve even deeper into NFTs with the release of Baby Shark: Collection No. Two, the first 10,000 generative art collection. Unique NFTs featuring Baby Shark and his family, at MakersPlace, the leading marketplace for digital collectibles.
Source: www.jdsupra.com