What the new Hollywood Park means for the business of sports and entertainment

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June 16, 2018

The Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park in Inglewood, Calif., part of the L.A. Stadium Entertainment and Sports District, is set to open in 2021 and will host Super Bowl LVI (February 2022), the 2023 College Football National Championship and the 2028 Summer Olympic Games, not to mention serving as the home field for the Los Angeles Rams and Chargers of the National Football League. We have some time before the grand opening, but let us check in on what the stadium and development means for the future of sports.

Cost

Like many things in life, the cost always goes up. Stadium-building is no exception. The architect for the Hollywood Park project, HKS, Inc. founded in 1939 by Harwood K. Smith, has built some of the most recognizable sports stadiums in modern times, including: U.S. Bank Stadium, Minneapolis, Minn.; AT&T Stadium, Arlington, Texas; American Airlines Center, Dallas, Texas; Globe Life Park in Arlington, Texas; Lucas Oil Stadium, Indianapolis, Ind.; Miller Park, Milwaukee, Wis.; Liverpool Football Club, Stanley Park, Liverpool, England (Stanley Park Stadium); Club Santos Laguna, Nuevo Estadio Corona, Torreón, Coahuila; U.S. Cellular Field, Chicago, Ill. (2001–2007 renovations); not to mention The Palazzo, Las Vegas, Nev. and Venetian Macau, Macau, China, among others.

Along with seat licenses hovering at $100,000 USD, the total stadium cost is nearing, if not more than, $5 billion. It is the most expensive sports stadium in history and nearly double the cost of the next closest. Its total cost is double the price of the Oakland Raiders’ stadium in Las Vegas. Moreover, it is the 5th most expensive building in the world, ranking above Apple’s second campus. The best part: the entire project is privately funded without using taxpayer dollars. It is possible there will be tax breaks and discounted land, but not direct tax dollars, Angelinos.

Opening

2021, which will host home games for the Rams and Chargers along with entertainment and sports programming.

Crossover between Entertainment and Sports

Per Forbes, “Los Angeles Stadium at Hollywood Park is expected to be among the grandest of sports structures we’ve ever seen erected. It sits on 60 acres of land and already includes a casino. Needless to say, the venue is about much more than sports Essentially, this is a real estate project that just so happens to include an NFL stadium. Hence, the ridiculously high cost to erect. We’re looking at 900,000 square feet of retail space, 800,000 square feet of office space and 2,500 new residential units. Yeah, it’s a monster of a site.”

The Hollywood Park venue will literally take after its namesake and be a destination, a tourist attraction and an entertainment and sports venue all rolled into one. Making a sports stadium about entertainment and the entertainment for fans and patrons is nothing new, but on this scale, it is something new. It is the combination of Las Vegas lights with deep history of Los Angeles sports and entertainment.

Will the Clippers follow?

On October 17, 2019, the Staples Center will be 20 years old and is still considered one of the premiere venues and destinations in sports and entertainment. L.A. Live, surrounding the Staples Center, is easily recognizable to locals, across America and the world. However, Los Angeles Clippers owner Steve Ballmer likely wants to get out from under the shadow of the Lakers and start his own team history on the land next to the Forum where the Lakers once played and made history. The Forum is across the street from the Ram’s Hollywood Park project and if the Clippers move to the area, the combined projects would be one of the most sought-after entertainment and sports destinations in the world. Of course, any stadium comes with legal troubles and disputes. However, if Ballmer wants to move the Clippers further west from Downtown Los Angeles, his arena would challenge the Forum for events and would add another $1 to $3 billion to the ongoing price tag in Inglewood. Knowing Ballmer’s history, he is likely to privately fund a new arena like the Ram’s Stan Kroenke, while looking to get some real estate tax breaks on land.

The development of the Inglewood area will be fascinating to watch.

Mighty Casey: The Motor City gets a new engine

By

Stephen Patrick

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June 14, 2018

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The Detroit Pistons get a much-needed engine transplant by selecting Dwane Casey to put their beleaguered franchise in gear. Casey, who agreed to a five-year Deal with the Pistons, is known for being a players’ coach, and has a proven track record of success.

“I am excited and honored to join the Detroit Pistons, a franchise with a championship history and a roster that is ready to win now,” Casey said in the team release. “I’m confident that this team has the pieces in place to compete at a very high level. There is a lot of talent, a solid core and some exciting young players eager to get better. We’re getting to work right away on the things that will make us all successful.”

Casey spent the last seven seasons as the Toronto Raptors’ head coach, building a conference powerhouse. He lifted the club to new heights even Chris Bosh, Vince Carter and Tracy McGrady (all Hall of Fame talent) couldn’t reach. Casey led the Raptors to a record 320-238. This past season, he guided Toronto to a franchise-record 59 wins and the Eastern Conference No. 1 seed.

But despite making five, straight trips to the postseason, the last three years have been rough for the Raptors. They went 22-60 in his first season as head coach, then progressed each year following. Additionally, Casey helped develop the skills of Kyle Lowry and DeMar DeRozan, as both players are now All Stars. Even so, Toronto lost in the first round twice and second round twice while making a single trip to the Eastern Conference Finals (2016). In each of the last three seasons, the Raptors’ title hopes were dashed by LeBron James.

Let's go, Coach! #DetroitBasketball pic.twitter.com/5DbSLrj094

— Detroit Pistons (@DetroitPistons) June 11, 2018

Things have been bleak recently on the Detroit side of the house too, even with NBA legend Stan Van Gundy at the helm. Coaching in Miami and Orlando, Van Gundy posted a 523-384 career record. Van Gundy, the man who helped engineer the Blake Griffin trade in January, appeared to be on his way back to the playoffs. Then, the dreaded Injury Bug struck the Pistons, leaving them to play without starting point guard Reggie Jackson and power forward Griffin for much of the final stretch of a 39-43 season. The Pistons missed the playoffs for the second consecutive season after coming in as an eighth seed and losing to the Cleveland Cavaliers in the opening round of the 2015-16 Eastern Conference tournament.

The Pistons appeared poised to restore past glory as they rose, but only went 152-176 with one playoff appearance over four years. Many around the NBA will tell you what a smart, effective basketball coach Van Gundy is and his career resume proves it. The man has 523 NBA wins with more than a 57 percent win rate. But unless you’re one of the great coaches, a singular coaching style doesn’t mix well with every team. Now, with Van Gundy being fired, there’s a new sheriff in town.

The Pistons need a coach who can develop young talent like Stanley Johnson and Henry Ellenson. If they emerge, the outlook for Detroit changes considerably since they already have All-Stars in Blake Griffin and Andre Drummond. Casey has a better chance for early success with his tool cabinet in Detroit. Motor City, start your engines!

“The Decision” Chapter 3

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J.T. Clifton

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June 13, 2018

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USP NBA: CLEVELAND CAVALIERS AT MINNESOTA TIMBERWO S BKN MIN CLE USA MN — Cleveland Cavaliers forward LeBron James / Brad Rempel (USATSI)

“I’m taking my talents to south beach.” Those words by LeBron James rocked the NBA in the summer of 2010. James joined forces with Dwayne Wade and Chris Bosh of the Miami Heat. On July 11, 2014, LeBron wrote a first-person essay published in Sports Illustrated stating he was returning to Cleveland to win a championship for the city. He did that. Now, it’s time for the third chapter of James’ weighty pronouncements or “Decisions” as they’re known in LeBron’s kingdom. And, it’s seemingly the last one.

Where will he go? Rumors have been swirling and the Vegas odds have flipped-flopped almost daily. Greg Popovich has already said he’ll force his way into a meeting with LeBron this summer. Maybe he’ll join forces with his friend Chris Paul in Houston. There have been rumors of Russell Westbrook coming to Cleveland with him and even rumors he’ll look to New Orleans.

The latest rumor though, has some legs to stand on. “Bronny” James, LeBron’s son, committed this week to play for Sierra Canyon School in Los Angeles. The Lakers will have the cap room to bring in two superstars and they have a draft pick and young players in Lonzo Ball and Brandon Ingram they could potentially move. It was also rumored LeBron’s wife, Savannah, transferred her gym membership to a facility in California.

LeBron James with family / Kevork Djansezian (Getty)

Logically, the Lakers’ move makes the most sense, as it requires the least amount of cap movement. Julius Randall’s contract is expiring and he‘ll likely want a much larger agreement The Lakers could move on from Randall and sign LeBron James and Paul George. They’ve been hinting at teaming up already this summer. If the Lakers sign Paul George and James, they could go all-in on a couple of championship runs.

The Lakers should also move Ball and draft-pick, then bring in Chris Paul to play with long-time friend James. Many people say the Rockets would’ve beat the Warriors if Chris Paul had played in game six or seven. LeBron told Chris Broussard he wants to play off the ball of whichever team he plays for in the future. This would allow the Lakers to keep Ingram and potentially sign a center who can switch on the Warriors on defense. All five starters could guard the pick and roll.

LeBron has cemented his legacy. He has nothing else to prove. It’s time for him to chase a ring. The NBA needs him to dismantle the Warriors. It’s easy for superstars to get along when they’re winning. When the losses come, tempers come and the Warriors will break up. LeBron only has a few more years left, and he could finish his years winning championships.

Playing MLB GM for a day like today

By

Jeremy Evans

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June 12, 2018

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We woke up today as the general manager of all five teams of Major League Baseball’s National League West Division. All of our dreams have come true. With the authority and leadership to make the right moves, here is how the July 31st trading deadline could play out before us.

Arizona Diamondbacks

Status: The Diamondbacks have already acquired outfielder Jon Jay as A.J. Pollock continues to battle through injuries. With starting pitchers Robbie Ray, Taijuan Walker and Shelby Miller all on the disabled list, their most glaring remaining need is a starting pitcher. The Diamondbacks are currently in first place, but the Dodgers 18-6 record since the middle of May is the best in baseball. The divide between the first and last place team is 6.5 games.

Move: The team has two starting pitching options that will propel them into the playoffs to compliment Zach Greinke and Patrick Corbin at the top of the rotation; Jacob deGrom and Cole Hamels. deGrom will be the more expensive pitcher to acquire as he is not a free agent until 2021 and under team-friendly terms. Hamels is a free agent in 2020 (with a $6 million buyout with conditions for 2019) is older and not as dominant as deGrom, but may be a better lefty-righty compliment to Greinke and insurance to Patrick Corbin’s pending free agency after the 2018 season.

Package: The Diamondbacks farm system is very bottom-heavy, having traded away several top prospects in Shelby Miller and other trades. Pitchers Emilio Vargas, Wei-Chieh Huang and first baseman Kevin Cron, could be the right package to pry Hamels from the Texas Rangers. Otherwise, their current prospects, without giving up Major League players and talent, are just not enough to acquire deGrom from the New York Mets, even if his entire salary was taken in an exchange. Other team’s offers would be a lot better, including in their own division

Colorado Rockies

Status: Coors Field, where the Rockies play their home games, is the most pitching-challenged ballpark in baseball because it is the most offensively explosively. As a GM, we have the problem of trying to bring in more pitching that will be harmed by the environment versus adding to the team’s offense and using the home field to its advantage.

Move: The team needs a boost of offense at first base and in left field as, unfortunately, Ian Desmond has struggled and Gerardo Parra does not have the power of a traditional left fielder. Desmond can play both infield and outfield, so depending on who is picked up in a trade, depth is automatically added via Parra and Desmond.

Package: Brendan Rodgers, Colton Welker, Garrett Hampson, Tom Murphy, Forrest Wall, Chad Spanberger and Vince Fernandez headline a Rockies farm system that is deep in offensive talent, but short on high-end pitching prospects. The Rockies should look to trade some of that depth for a major league veteran power bat at first or in left field for short-term relief and some Triple A, Major League-ready pitching for long-term depth. It is also possible to recruit a high-end starting pitcher for a rental, but try convincing a top-level pitcher to waive his no trade clause and/or produce in mile-high land. The Rockies would love to have the Baltimore Orioles’ shortstop/third baseman Manny Machado, but nearly every infield position, except first base, is taken by recent All-Stars.

Los Angeles Dodgers

Status: Disabled list. The Dodgers need to get and stay healthy. The Dodgers’ entire starting pitching staff, except Alex Wood, with Kenta Maeda coming back Wednesday, are on the disabled list. Ross Stripling is the ace of the staff and Walker Buehler, the rookie, was just placed on the disabled list. Justinis struggling with post-wrist surgery pain and swelling. Corey Seager is out for the season.

Move: The Dodgers need another bat as insurance for Justin Turner and protection for Matt Kemp in the lineup. The Dodgers have bought themselves some time by playing so well lately, with bench players stepping up to fill the void via Max Muncy. Meanwhile, Cody Bellinger, Joc Pederson, Yasiel Puig and Chris Taylor are beginning to swing the bat really well. However, their lack of starting pitching going deep into games has led to bullpen over-usage.

Package: The Dodgers front office would be wise to wait to make a move as long as they can keep it close in the National League West, currently 3 games out of first place. Their current depth and roster won 104 games last year and although bullpen help is always needed, their moves might be less drastic as players return from injury. The Dodgers do not want to take on extra salaries to avoid getting further tax penalties, but if they want to trade three to five, top prospects to acquire shortstop Manny Machado and reliever Zach Britton, both the offensive and relief needs would be met. The question is whether the cost is too much prospect wise or whether another team can offer both the prospects and the salary relief. Look for Andrew Friedman’s front office to stay informed on the Machado sweepstakes, acquire a starter, a bullpen arm and a veteran bat, but likely not via a blockbuster trade (i.e., deGrom, Hamels, etc.) that costs too much in money or prospects.

San Diego Padres

Status: The Padres are building, but are not a playoff team this year. They would be wise to trade one or two of their highly-effective bullpen pieces to acquire Triple A-ready pitching and hitting talent.

Move: Acquire top prospects from playoff teams immediately. While the Padres already have one of the best farm systems in baseball, theyshould acquire more to build their farm’s foundation and to use as trade bait to acquire Triple A/Major League talent next year and the year after for a playoff run.

Package: Starting Pitcher Tyson Ross might be available and could add to a rotation, but Brad Hand, Kirby Yates, Craig Stammen and Adam Cimber are four, excellent relievers with sub-3.00 and 2.00 ERAs in the Padres bullpen who can help any playoff-bound team immediately. The Padres have an opportunity to stock up and prepare for 2019 and 2020.

San Francisco Giants

Status: The third place Giants, like the Dodgers, need to get and stay healthy. The difficulty for the Giants is they did not reach the playoffs in 2017 with a similar roster and with the team’s offseason additions, they are the third oldest by age in all of baseball. The other issue is the Giants have the second highest payroll in all of baseball behind the Boston Red Sox at $208 million. The next closest team, the Dodgers, is nearly $20 million less. The Dodgers 25-man, active roster is actually ranked 17th (rather low for a recent playoff team) showing their youth and depth, something the Giants unfortunately lack as built in 2018.

Move: The Giants’ 27th ranked farm system is not as bad as advertised, as they contain some good, offensive prospects that might help the team this year and/or help them land a starting pitcher. The Giants need both a starting pitcher and an outfielder with home-run power.

Package: Chris Shaw (featured above) is the Giants’ top prospect and is a first baseman/outfielder. He and two other prospects might start the discussion to obtain Cole Hamels to compliment Madison Bumgarner and Johnny Cueto (should he come back strong and healthy) at the top of the rotation and maybe another Major League-ready bat. deGrom is too expensive in prospects from what other teams can offer and would deplete the Giants’ farm system. If the Giants are in it, look for Brain Sabean and Bobby Evans to swing a trade to add a starter and a bat.

We can all watch as the July 31st trade deadline approaches and whether it propels certain teams into and throughout the 2018 playoffs.

Whole lotta Mariota: Can Marcus secure monster contract?

By

Stephen Patrick

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June 9, 2018

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The Tennessee Titans took a big step forward in 2017 by making the postseason and winning a playoff game. But, if the team is going to take the next step and become a serious contender in the American Football Conference (AFC) this year, new head coach Mike Vrabel needs a similar leap from fourth-year quarterback Marcus Mariota. After inheriting a dumpster fire in his first year, Mariota’s gone 18-14 as a starter, including last year’s playoffs.

Going into his fourth season, Mariota remains a mystery. There have been plenty of positives, but now it’s time for Mariota to secure a monster contract and show he’s a top-tier quarterback. As the No.2 overall NFL draft pick, he displayed flashes of star power during his rookie year. The 2014 Heisman Trophy winner finished his 12-game, 2015 rookie year with 2,818 passing yards, 19 touchdowns and ten interceptions. Additionally, he rushed for 252 yards with two rushing touchdowns.

He exploded on the scene in his second year, stepping up as a bona fide star. Mariota connected on 61% of his passes for 3,426 yards, 26 touchdowns and nine interceptions. Cutting down on turnovers was the biggest improvement he made, reducing fumbles despite playing three more games (15) in 2016.

This past season, everything seemed primed for Mariota to establish himself as a franchise quarterback. However, he took several steps backwards in several aspects. Turnovers once again became a major problem for the talented performer. His completion percentage (62.0) and yardage total (3,232) were similar to 2016. But, with 13 TD passes and 15 interceptions, it’s hard to look past his faltering play, even with leading his team to the playoffs. His turnovers add up to 46 in 42 regular-season contests. That level of performance won’t do, even if making the playoffs. Both the quarterback, QB coach Pat O’Hara and new offensive coordinator Matt LaFleur certainly have work to do in this area, but Mariota remains positive.

“It’s been great,” Mariota said. “Pat and Matt have been awesome. They’ve been tremendous in (continuing) to work fundamentals. At the same time, helping us learn the offense in a way that’s easy and just makes it so that everything is pretty smooth. I’ve got to give a lot of credit to them, I think they’ve done a great job so far. Again, as we progress forward there’s always going to be some bumps in the road, but I think these guys have done a great job of handling everything.”

More encouraging news comes from the fact Mariota is reportedly finally fully healthy from his fractured right fibula. His athletic ability is back to Oregon form, freeing him to focus on fundamentals as he returns to 2016-2017 levels. Additionally, Vrabel is working Mariota into a new style of offense. So far this offseason, he’s spent time working with his wide receivers “off the clock” in an effort to become a better passer this season. Those stats, while leading the team to the playoffs again, should lead Mariota to the contract extension he desires.

Law of the Jungle: Clemson Tigers still king of the ACC

By

Stephen Patrick

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June 6, 2018

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Clemson 2017 championship — Clemson 2017 Football Championship / Photo courtesy of: Chris O'Meara (APSI)

The Clemson Tigers possess one of the best defensive lines in the country and a solid back seven in the loaded Atlantic Coast Conference. Offensively, Clemson is littered with playmakers, with three, up-front starters returning to school. Senior Kelly Bryant returns, opening up fall camp as a starter, while freshman Trevor Lawrence looks to establish himself for playing time. Lawrence provides Clemson with more offensive punch as he has more downfield passing capability than last year’s offense. The Tigers are no strangers to the tough ACC schedule, and their competitors are fierce. The ACC is currently one of the best football conferences in the nation.

Even so, Clemson is clearly the pick in the ACC and a top five football team coming into the season. The last few years, Clemson has posted a strong defense and their defensive side of the ball this year will be virtually unmatched. Clemson’s defensive line is going to be out of this world.

While the defense will be stellar, there is a key player on the offensive side to watch. Regardless of whether Bryant or Lawrence is the starter, the Tigers are in fantastic shape in the wide receiver department. Deep threat Tee Higgins is the X-factor who could really put Clemson over the top. With Deon Cain and Ray-Ray McCloud leaving for pro careers, Higgins, who averaged 20.3 yards per reception last season, seeks to put fear in the hearts of DB’s and defensive coordinators. He just might lead the ACC in receiving yards.

The Tigers might be the pick in the ACC, but a team in Florida may meet them in the 2018 ACC Championship Game to show us otherwise. The Tigers won’t face the Miami Hurricanes during the regular season, however the turnover-forcing defense will be the calling card of the Hurricanes once again, as nearly all their linebackers and secondary’s reappear for another year. That spells trouble if it’s the young freshmen taking snaps against Miami. And wide receiver Ahmmon Richards returns from injury, so their offense should be better this year.

Willie Taggart / Photo courtesy of: Mark Wallheiser (APSI)

The biggest regular-season threat is the Florida State Seminoles. New coach Willie Taggart has put together a strong recruiting line accompanying their returning talent. Clemson plays at Tallahassee in October. Even if Florida State beats Clemson, its chances of going 7-1 in ACC play and winning the Atlantic Division are slim with road games at Louisville, North Carolina State and an opener against Virginia Tech.

Clemson has won the ACC Championship and been selected for the college playoffs the last three years. With a little Dabo magic, stopping the Tigers from scoring will be hard. Moving the ball against this defense may be even harder. They might slip up once along the way, but a fourth, consecutive, postseason battle between Alabama and Clemson might be here before we know it. It’s college football’s version of the Cavs vs. the Warriors.

Ruffled feathers: Eagles join list of teams to decline White House visit

By

J.T. Clifton

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June 6, 2018

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Jenkins Eagles — Malcolm Jenkins protests with fist / Alex Brandon (AP photo)

President Trump “called-off” a scheduled, June 5 visit from the Philadelphia Eagles, champions of Super Bowl LII. Called off is quoted because it’s sort of like when an elementary school kid invites everyone in his or her class to their birthday party, discovers only a couple intend to come, then cancels the gala. Many of the Eagles said they would not participate in the visit, prompting Trump to host a patriotism event instead.

Trump has been very outspoken about the NFL kneeling issue. He’s quoted as saying players who kneel during the playing of the national anthem should be “fired” or “suspended.” The New England Patriots did visit the White House after their Super Bowl victory in 2017. That could be due to the friendship between Trump and Patriots owner Robert Kraft. Several Patriots players did however, refuse, including Martellus Bennett and LeGarrette Blount.

The President has blurred the lines between sports and politics since taking office 17 months ago. He has taken on the NFL over its national anthem protests, criticized NCAA athletes who did not thank him for coming to their aid and attacked NBA superstars on Twitter.

Other notable teams that did accept Trump’s invitations are the 2017 Pittsburgh Penguins and 2017 Houston Astros. Although two Puerto Rican-born players, Carlos Beltran and Carlos Correa, were absent. The 2018 University of Alabama National College Football Championship team also visited the White House. While championship teams have visited the White House dating back at least 50 years, the decision to accept an invitation from Trump has become politically perilous.

The Philadelphia Eagles Football Team was invited to the White House. Unfortunately, only a small number of players decided to come, and we canceled the event. Staying in the Locker Room for the playing of our National Anthem is as disrespectful to our country as kneeling. Sorry!

— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) June 5, 2018

The Eagles appear to be a much closer team than most. Their locker room seems to be in as good of shape as any Super Bowl-winning team in recent years. It’s no secret they also have a few, very outspoken players on their team, including the notably silent Malcolm Jenkins. Jenkins recently held up signs in silence while being interviewed by multiple reporters. One of the signs simply said, “You’re not listening”. Others listed statistics for murdered and incarcerated African Americans.

Fox News Channel stirred the controversy by airing video of Eagles players kneeling to pray several minutes before the anthem was played. In fact, no Eagle kneeled this entire year, although several did stand with raised fists in protest while the anthem was performed. The network was criticized by players such as Chris long who said, “Fox News used the faith of Christian men dishonestly to push an agenda. That wasn’t an “error”, but intentional and strategic.” Fox News later issued an apology.

CNN dropped the media ball, too, after political analyst April Ryan was forced to backtrack on claims the President was “heckled and booed” at Tuesday’s White House event after it was reported the ridicule was, in fact, directed at a protester in the crowd. She quickly walked back those comments after learning a heckler in the crowd was asking the President questions, and as a result was booed.

“The booes [sic] were for the heckler,” Ryan said in her tweet. She later deleted the tweet, citing “reporters on the south lawn” for misreporting the events. CNN’s Noah Gray said that Ryan’s tweet was not true. He later shared a picture of the man who was heckled by the crowd and escorted out. Despite her attempts to backtrack, Twitter users fired back at Ryan’s misreporting.

It doesn’t appear the trend of teams not accepting the President’s offer to visit the White House will end any time soon, either. LeBron James was quoted as saying the Warriors or the Cavs wouldn’t accept an invitation no matter who won. LeBron was also very critical of Trump last year, calling him a “bum.”

Turnabout is fair play: SEC changes its transfer rule

By

J.T. Clifton

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June 3, 2018

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Recently, the Southeastern Conference meetings in Destin, Fla. made a big splash in the lives of college athlete transfers. In the past, players had to get a waiver from the school they’re transferring from to be eligible immediately. And, for the most part, no coach would sign that waiver; even if the student already received their degree.

Recently, Nick Saban caught a lot of flak for not allowing graduate transfer center Brandon Kennedy to handover freely to either Tennessee or Auburn, who both appear to have interest in the graduate. Kennedy even unsuccessfully appealed to Alabama. That will no longer be the case. Graduate transfers can now freely transfer within the SEC without the all-encompassing, all-important waiver.

Saban isn’t the only coach to block players like this, but he seems to be the one most in the news most for it. Last year, a defensive back named Maurice Smith wanted to transfer to Georgia to play for Kirby Smart, his former defensive coordinator. Saban balked, but outrage from the public eventually forced Alabama to sign the waiver and Smith was allowed to play immediately.

Another rule change in the transfer process will directly affect the University of Florida Gators. Van Jefferson, the talented receiver from the University of Mississippi, can now play immediately for Florida. After struggling heavily last year, the Gators need all the help they can get on offense. The new change states a player can transfer freely within the conference without a waiver if his team is facing National Collegiate Athletic Association sanctions.

Ole Miss faces a ban for the 2018 season after the NCAA penalized them for a large number of recruiting violations stemming from former coach Hugh Freeze. “The University of Mississippi lacked institutional control and fostered a culture of booster involvement in football recruiting according to a Division I committee of infractions panel,” is the statement cited in the NCAA’s report.

This could continue to hurt Ole Miss if a few other players decide to transfer within the conference. There would have likely been more transfers had this rule been applied earlier. Ole Miss has already lost Jefferson to Florida and Shae Patterson (QB) to Michigan. Had this rule already been passed, it would have been interesting to see if Patterson would have transferred within the conference, too.

Both of these rule changes actually seem like the right thing to do for student athletes, which is a rarity among the NCAA and SEC. The offseason could get very interesting now.

Power in the present…

By

Julian Shipp

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May 31, 2018

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Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney during the Clemson Football Spring Game (Orange and White Game) on Saturday Apr. 9, 2016 at Memorial Stadium, in Clemson, SC. Jacob Kupferman/CSM — FX0F5K Clemson Head Coach Dabo Swinney during the Clemson Football Spring Game / Jacob Kupferman (CSM)

Sports Gambling: The Noble Experiment II

By

Jeremy Evans

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May 23, 2018

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The Good, the Bad and the Ugly

By now you have heard of the United States Supreme Court’s decision to allow individual States in the Union to pursue gambling legislation and regulatory schemes within their borders. The prospect for gambling in 49 States not named Nevada was made possible by the Court declaring that a 1992 law, the Professional and Amateur Sports Protection Act (PASPA), was unconstitutional. The 6-3 majority wrote in their opinion: “Congress can regulate sports gambling directly, but if it elects not to do so, each State is free to act on its own. Our job is to interpret the law Congress has enacted and decide whether it is consistent with the Constitution. PASPA is not.” Referring to New York v. United States, 505 U.S. 144 (1992), the Court reasoned that the States could not be commandeered to enforce a federal regulation.

The Good

The rewards are straightforward: the potential for added revenue with a reduction in the black and gray gambling markets. Legalized gambling also means more business creation, jobs, related opportunities and work for lawyers.

Specifically, professional sports leagues stand to gain by charging a premium for copyrightable and trademarkable content, namely its players, brands, and potentially its statistics when analyzed and formulated in a specific way. If the gambling houses want to play it smart, they will include the professional sports leagues’ senior leadership and the players associations’ to grow the gambling programs together, to avoid getting sued, with the players, teams, leagues, gambling houses, casinos and bettors participating in the profits. Of course, all of this assumes a regulatory scheme is in place to protect consumers and all parties involved before the gambling begins.

In addition, it will be interesting to see if sports broadcasting companies (NBC, ABC, Fox, TNT, etc.) and technology distribution platforms/companies (Verizon, AT&T, Hulu, Amazon, Facebook, Apple, etc.) seek a piece of the pie since they are the ones broadcasting and distributing the copyrightable and trademarkable sports content.

The Bad

There is roughly a 5 percent margin for profit in gambling. A profit for new partners involved in the process, namely the leagues and the players associations, requires that the profit come from somewhere. An increase in profit assumes that more people will gamble or that current gamblers will be brought out of the darkness (e.g., illegal online gambling) and into the light of legalized gambling. It also assumes that any regulatory scheme will pass the “cost of doing business” (i.e., gambling fees and taxes) onto the consumer so that the profit margins are maintained.

The Ugly

Rhetorically speaking, was PASPA the second iteration of the original noble experiment, the prohibition against alcohol? Did PASPA seek to regulate moral behavior? Will there now be an explosion in sports betting as there was after prohibition, the first noble experiment? What are the potential consequences of legalized gambling in the United States?

First, imagine navigating the federal and state regulatory schemes as a participant, manager, owner, or lawyer in the gambling space, interpreting both federal and state law. For example, leaders in the United States Congress have already discussed presenting a federal regulatory scheme for gambling. Moreover, each State will also have to have its own law on the books before proceeding with state-sponsored or legal gambling. The process and implementation alone will be fascinating to follow. Hopefully, Congress and the State’s provide clear vision as to what legal gambling is allowed and where so as to avoid confusion. A regulation is after all only as good as its enforcement and interpretation.

Second, collegiate and professional athletes stand to be in a precarious situation. Unfortunately, baseball legend Peter Rose learned the hard way with illegal sports gambling. Since the door is now open through legalized gambling, however, a regulatory scheme at both the legislative (federal and state) and administrative (sports leagues) levels will be important to make sure that the integrity of sport and its participants are maintained. To that point, any gambling regulatory scheme would likely include a provision that direct participants in sports not be allowed to place a sports bet to avoid the appearance of impropriety.

Third, is more gambling a good idea for a society mired in debt? It means more revenues for States and the federal government, but what about the consumers? Is more regulation good for business? However, again, back to regulating moral behavior through a noble experiment law. In the end, it should be celebrated that legislation outlawing something without the federal government entering the space before or since was at the least awkward, and at its worst, unconstitutional, as the U.S. Supreme Court held.

Congress and the States will now get a second bite at the apple to set the course for legal sports gambling in America.

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