Today, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed into law SB 1028, which is an education bill covering a wide array of topics. One of those topics concerns transgender participation in female sports. Specifically, the new law says that while athletic teams or sports designated for males, men or boys may be open to students of the More
Joel Embiid has lost, on appeal, an effort to register the trademark for “TRUST THE PROCESS.” (Photo by Tim Nwachukwu/Getty Images) Many years ago, the Philadelphia 76ers decided to trust the process. Since then, the organization has gone from a team that logged only 10 wins during the 2015-16 NBA regular season to finishing first in the Eastern Conference this season, with a 2-0 lead over the Washington Wizards in round 1 of the NBA Playoffs. The phrase, “Trust The Process,” has been commonly uttered by those in and around the organization as the team has gone from the laughingstock of the league to a leader, and Joel Embiid, in particular, has taken an interest in the words, going as far as calling himself “The Process.” In fact, on November 21, 2018, Embiid filed an application with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) to register the trademark, “Trust The Process,” for use in connection with the sale of shoes. Embiid originally filed the application on an intent-to-use basis, identifying to the USPTO that he had a bona fide intent to sell shoes in connection with a “Trust The Process” brand in the future. Embiid was blocked by a prior […]
On May 25, Florida Governor Ron DeSantis signed five bills, which included CS/SB 2A – Implementation of the 2021 Gaming Compact Between the Seminole Tribe of Florida and the State of Florida. Governor DeSantis’ signature pushes forward a 30-year plan that includes the Seminole Tribe paying the State of Florida $2.5 billion annually over the More
A new filing in an ongoing lawsuit between Zion Williamson and his former marketing agents claims that Williamson and/or his family received improper benefits before he ever enrolled at Duke University. “Recent filings in Bowen vs. Adidas, et al., Case No. 18-CV3118, pending in the United States District Court, District of South Carolina, have revealed More
Clemson quarterback Trevor Lawrence will likely be the first player taken in the 2021 NFL Draft on April 29. He is wasting no time building an endorsement portfolio, even prior to being selected and receiving a guaranteed payout of millions of dollars from his rookie contract. Lawrence signed what could be called a traditional endorsement More
Patrick Mahomes recently sold $3.7 million worth of non-fungible tokens (NFTs). It followed Rob Gronkowski’s sale of $1.75 million in NFTs. Each athlete successfully auctioned off a limited number of digital art pieces connected to their respective NFTs, which has caused many others in the world of professional sports to take an interest in learning More
Image of a Patrick Mahomes trading card with blockchain technology, courtesy of Panini America. The physical and digital trading card market is exploding. A Kobe Bryant 1996-97 Topps Chrome Refractor card recently sold for $1.79 million and, in January 2021, a 1952 Topps Micky Mantle card sold for $5.2 million, which is currently the most expensive sports trading card to be sold on the secondary market. One person who does not believe that the boom in trading cards is close to being a bubble is Jason Howarth, Vice President at Panini America. He says that people are purchasing rare trading cards like the 1-of-1 Luka Doncic that went for $4.6 million this year as an alternative asset and justifying acquisitions as another form of investment. In fact, Howarth proudly makes the claim that trading cards have historically outperformed the S&P 500, which is something commonly heard from people in the industry. On the latest episode of the How to Play the Game podcast (Apple/Spotify), I spoke with Howarth about Panini America’s commitment to digital trading cards and building on the blockchain, how he views the rise of non-fungible tokens (NFT) like NBA Top Shot, what makes him most optimistic about […]
At some point in the future, college athletes will be earning money based on brands using their names, images, and likenesses (NIL). Currently, 6 states have had legislation to provide such rights to athletes signed into law by their respective governors. None of the laws have yet to go into effect, but Florida plans to More
The NFL has announced that the salary cap for the 2021 season is set at $182.5 million. What exactly does that mean? It is the first time that the salary cap in the NFL has ever decreased year-over-year (the cap was $198 million for the 2020 NFL season). However, take into consideration that the salary More
