Oklahoma Sports Law Attorneys
Oklahoma Sports Law
An athletic career, especially a professional one, is one of intense physical and mental commitment and discipline. Being an athlete is not all fun and games, however. Spectators don’t know about the many laws in place to protect athletes and to govern the various agencies, colleges, and sports owners. That is why sports law was established as a separate field approximately 30 years ago. Any violation of the laws and regulations covered under sports law can result in legal action.
If an Oklahoma athlete has been the victim of a breach in contract, was injured at a sports event due to another athlete’s negligence, or was given a clean bill of health for the sole purpose of resuming athletic competition, they may be entitled to compensation. The experienced Oklahoma sports law attorneys at KM Mgt work to protect the legal rights and athletic careers of Oklahoma athletes. Sports law exists to ensure the proper management and operations or behavior of competitive sports entities, agents, owners and athletes.
What is Sports Law?
Sports law, which can be roughly divided into amateur, professional, and international sports, encompasses various areas of law, brought together because of how they pertain to issues abundant in amateur and professional sports. Issues such as antitrust, contracts, and torts are quite common, thus establishing antitrust law, contract law, tort law, and labor law under the umbrella term, "sports law."
The main national governing bodies in place to manage and regulate U.S. competitive sports, sporting events, and athletes include the:
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA);
- National Basketball Association (NBA);
- National Football League (NFL);
- National Hockey League (NHL);
- Major League Baseball (MLB); and the
- United States Olympic Committee (USOC).
Each state will also have rules and regulations as determined by their state Athletic Commission. But these entities may not be able to identify all instances of sports law violations.
Common Sports Law Violations
Most violations of sports law affect professional athletes. Labor law, contract law, antitrust law, and tort law are in place to protect athletes from unethical or negligent actions on the part of agents, owners, governing officials, and other athletes. The following are common violations of sports law:
- Deviating from the collective bargaining agreement (CBA) as it pertains to work hours, wages, and working conditions (some athletes may hold individual contracts with specific terms however);
- Agents not fulfilling their contractual duty, taking advantage of their negotiating power or violating specific state regulations governing agents;
- Sport team doctors reporting that an athlete is in perfect health for the purpose of being able to continue athletic participation; and
- Other athletes deliberately or willfully injuring another, disregarding their safety.
Any of these unlawful actions can put an athlete’s health and career in jeopardy. These violations should never go unanswered.
The Help of an Oklahoma Sports Law Attorney
Because sports law encompasses so many areas of law, and so many entities are involved in professional sports, sports law violation claims can be very complicated. The knowledgeable Oklahoma sports law attorneys at KM Mgt have the skills and resources to investigate every aspect of your sports case and determine the best course of legal action. An athlete, especially a professional athlete, cannot afford to take time away from his or her job to sort through all the complications of their situation. That is why having a trusted sports law attorney is so important. Call us today for a free consultation.
