Hazan Sports Management Group (HSM), led by NBPA-certified agent Daniel Hazan, has filed a breach of contract suit against its former client Malik Beasley in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. Beasley, the Detroit Pistons star and finalist for the NBA’s Sixth Man of the Year award, signed an NBPA Standard Player Agent Contract (“SPAC”) with HSM in 2023 to serve as his on-court player agent. The parties also signed an exclusive marketing representation
Continue Reading Pistons Star Malik Beasley Sued by Former Agent
Latest from Frieser Legal Insights
Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules in Favor of the WIAA in Halter Case
In a decision issued on April 8, 2025, the Wisconsin Supreme Court reversed the Court of Appeals’ ruling in favor of high school wrestler Hayden Halter, upholding the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association’s (WIAA) interpretation and application of its suspension rules.
Background
In February 2019, Hayden Halter, a sophomore wrestler at Waterford Union High School, was ejected from a varsity wrestling meet due to two unsportsmanlike conduct violations. According to WIAA’s rules at the time, such an ejection required the
Continue Reading Wisconsin Supreme Court Rules in Favor of the WIAA in Halter Case
Wisconsin Football Player Granted an Injunction in Eligibility Suit Against the NCAA
Nyzier Fourqurean, the starting cornerback for the University of Wisconsin–Madison’s football team, was granted a preliminary injunction against the NCAA for a possible fifth year of athletic eligibility. Although the NCAA has appealed the decision, this student-athlete victory—though potentially temporary—marks a significant challenge to the NCAA’s long-standing eligibility rules and highlights growing tensions between the NCAA’s […]The post Wisconsin Football Player Granted an Injunction in Eligibility Suit Against the NCAA appeared first on Frieser Legal.
Continue Reading Wisconsin Football Player Granted an Injunction in Eligibility Suit Against the NCAA
AAA Publishes Due Process Guidelines for NIL Disputes
On February 1, 2025, the American Arbitration Association published Due Process Guidelines for the Arbitration of Disputes over Sports Participation and Name, Image, and Likeness. Frieser Legal Principal Attorney Joshua Frieser served on the Sports Advisory Committee that supported the AAA in preparing these guidelines.
The Due Process Guidelines can be viewed here: AAA Due Process Guideliness for NIL Disputes
The post AAA Publishes Due Process Guidelines for NIL Disputes appeared first on Frieser Legal.
Continue Reading AAA Publishes Due Process Guidelines for NIL Disputes
Effectively Navigating MOUs, Revenue Sharing, and Collective Contracts
As the House case nears a potential settlement, Division I universities and their associated NIL collectives have established strategic plans for the dawn of the “revenue sharing era” of college sports. As the ground is shifting in the NIL world once again—perhaps more substantially than at any point before—college athletes and their agents should be prepared to effectively navigate the legal and contractual challenges that will undoubtedly arise in this new era.
Background
After the NCAA permitted collegiate
Continue Reading Effectively Navigating MOUs, Revenue Sharing, and Collective Contracts
UNLV Quarterback Matthew Sluka’s Failed NIL Agreement and the Ensuing Legal Ramifications
On September 25, 2024, UNLV starting quarterback Matthew Sluka announced that he would be departing from the program due to broken promises regarding compensation that was promised to him in an NIL agreement with the university’s collective. Despite leading the Rebels to a 3-0 start, Sluka will sit out for the remainder of the season as a redshirt and will enter the transfer portal in December. The NCAA’s Bylaw 12 allows football student-athletes to compete in up to four
Continue Reading UNLV Quarterback Matthew Sluka’s Failed NIL Agreement and the Ensuing Legal Ramifications
NIL Representation Agreements: What Athletes and Agents Need to Know
When the NCAA amended its amateurism bylaws on July 1, 2021, the Association removed a handful of key restrictions that were previously placed upon collegiate “student-athletes.” In addition to the ability to sign name, image, and likeness (NIL) endorsement deals, athletes were permitted to sign with sports agents to represent them. While the NCAA has restricted agent activity to be for marketing purposes only (i.e., no professional player agent representation agreements are permitted, only NIL representation agreements), the definition
Continue Reading NIL Representation Agreements: What Athletes and Agents Need to Know
NCAA Adopts New NIL Legislation for Coming Academic Year
On August 1, 2024, the NCAA’s new Bylaw 22 went into effect. With this change, the NCAA has adopted new bylaws for the upcoming academic year. Notably, the new bylaws change legislation regarding name, image, and likeness (NIL). The new bylaws supersede the NCAA’s Interim NIL Policy and subsequent guidance that was put in place in July of 2021, and updated periodically thereafter. The new bylaws provide more clarity and direction–and perhaps finality–on several NIL-related issues, including the level
Continue Reading NCAA Adopts New NIL Legislation for Coming Academic Year
NIL Litigation Heats Up with Two Major Cases
College athletics has been in a state of constant regulatory change since the NCAA’s decision to permit athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL) nearly three years ago. In addition to several rounds of NCAA NIL guidance, there have been legislative changes at the state level, introduced federal legislation, and multiple lawsuits that continue to impact intercollegiate athletics. While the NCAA and its autonomy conferences have agreed to a settlement in the House case, all involved parties
Continue Reading NIL Litigation Heats Up with Two Major Cases
Zion Williamson Wins Appellate Case Against Former Agent
The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit has ruled in favor of Zion Williamson in his lawsuit against his former marketing agency, Prime Sports Marketing. The case primarily dealt with the North Carolina Uniform Athlete Agents Act. While most states have implemented a version of the Uniform Athlete Agents Act (including North Carolina), the laws do not come under judicial scrutiny frequently. As such, this case provides important context and guidance for athlete agents going forward.
Continue Reading Zion Williamson Wins Appellate Case Against Former Agent
Frieser Legal Provided Counsel to Top-Ranked Football Recruit on Suspension
Frieser Legal advised five-star safety Trey McNutt during his eligibility dispute with the Ohio High School Athletic Association (OHSAA). McNutt was suspended by the OHSAA in February for competing in offseason 7-on-7 tournaments, which violated an Association rule prohibiting football players from competing in certain non-school events. With counsel from Principal Attorney Joshua Frieser, the […]
The post Frieser Legal Provided Counsel to Top-Ranked Football Recruit on Suspension appeared first on Frieser Legal.
Continue Reading Frieser Legal Provided Counsel to Top-Ranked Football Recruit on Suspension
Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Loses Key Appellate Case
The Wisconsin Court of Appeals (District II) has ruled in favor of Hayden Halter, a high school wrestler, in his case against the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA). In February of 2019, Halter was suspended by the WIAA for two unsportsmanlike conduct violations issued to him during a wrestling meet. The Association’s rules then in effect specified that Halter would be suspended from the “next competitive event.”
Halter and the WIAA disagreed about which competition would constitute the “next
Continue Reading Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association Loses Key Appellate Case
Frieser Legal Named to “Top 100 Law Firms with Sports Practices”
Frieser Legal has been named to Hackney Publications’ annual list of Top 100 Law Firms with Sports Practices. The list is published “with the goal of providing the sports industry with a guidebook to the top 100 law firms with an exemplary sports law practice.” Hackney Publications is the nation’s leading publisher of sports law […]
The post Frieser Legal Named to “Top 100 Law Firms with Sports Practices” appeared first on Frieser Legal | Sports Law | NIL
Continue Reading Frieser Legal Named to “Top 100 Law Firms with Sports Practices”
University Intellectual Property Implications in Name, Image, and Likeness Deals
Every college and university in the world owns intellectual property. One of the most important aspects of a university’s intellectual property is its trademarks. Consider any “big-time” college athletics universities, such as the University of Alabama, Michigan, or Wisconsin. Each has iconic team colors, mascots, uniforms, fight songs, and logos. These universities carefully cultivate their reputation and branding to distinguish themselves from the competition and create recognition among not only fans, but casual observers. Universities maintain exclusive intellectual property
Continue Reading University Intellectual Property Implications in Name, Image, and Likeness Deals
NCAA Finds NIL Rules Violations in Florida State Football Program
The NCAA Division I Committee on Infractions (COI) has announced an infractions decision for violations of the NCAA’s name, image, and likeness (NIL) and recruiting rules in the Florida State football program. The conduct in question stems from an assistant coach facilitating a meeting between a prospective transfer student-athlete and an NIL collective affiliated with the institution.
This is the NCAA’s second NIL-related enforcement action. In February of 2023, the NCAA announced an infractions case involving the University of
Continue Reading NCAA Finds NIL Rules Violations in Florida State Football Program
Frieser Legal Scores Victory for Client in Eligibility Dispute
Frieser Legal is pleased to share that client Mick Marlow has been declared eligible to compete for the 2023-24 hockey season. The eligibility decision came from the Wisconsin Interscholastic Athletic Association (WIAA) after Frieser Legal had filed a lawsuit against Chippewa Falls Unified School District and the WIAA on behalf of the Marlow family. On […]
The post Frieser Legal Scores Victory for Client in Eligibility Dispute appeared first on Frieser Legal.
Continue Reading Frieser Legal Scores Victory for Client in Eligibility Dispute