In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans analyzes seven truths about baseball and competitive balance following the Los Angeles Dodgers’ acquisition of Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers. The trade renewed questions about payroll disparities, competitive parity, and whether limiting successful teams would actually produce a healthier and more competitive sport.

Jeremy discusses why spending helps but does not guarantee championships, how trades and player development require organizations to assume risk, and why salary caps primarily provide owners with greater cost certainty. The episode also explores salary floors, the Competitive Balance Tax, revenue sharing, tanking, franchise valuations, and whether every team should be required to reinvest a reasonable percentage of its revenue in player salaries, development, coaching, facilities, venue improvements, and the fan experience.

As baseball, business, labor, and law continue converging, competitive balance requires more than restricting what ambitious teams may spend. Players deserve to participate in the growth they help create, while owners deserve reasonable cost certainty and the opportunity to earn a return on their investments. The stronger approach encourages responsible investment throughout the league without limiting ambition at the top or tolerating inaction at the bottom.

(Season 8, Episode 30).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this week’s column, California Sports Lawyer® CEO and Managing Attorney Jeremy M. Evans analyzes seven truths about baseball and competitive balance, including why spending helps but does not guarantee championships and why responsible investment may serve the game better than a salary cap.

In sports, as in life, people matter. Championships and victories are won by and with people.

You can read the full column below. (Past columns can be found, here).

~

The trade of ace pitcher Tarik Skubal from the Detroit Tigers to the Los Angeles Dodgers late Saturday night caused a stir among fans, commentators, and baseball executives. At the time of the trade, the Dodgers were tied with the Milwaukee Brewers for the most wins in baseball, with 69, and pursuing a third consecutive World Series championship.

The Skubal trade is a useful case study, but the larger question is not whether one supports or opposes the Dodgers. It is whether limiting successful teams actually produces a healthier and more competitive sport.

Some commentators argued that sending the best starting pitcher available at the Major League Baseball (MLB) trade deadline to the two-time defending World Series champions would increase the likelihood of a work stoppage after this season. Others viewed the move as another example of the Dodgers doing what successful organizations are supposed to do, which is improve their roster whenever an opportunity arises.

Those reactions are noteworthy, but they do not tell the whole story about baseball, the Dodgers, or the ongoing collective bargaining negotiations between MLB and the MLB Players Association (MLBPA). The current collective bargaining agreement (CBA) expires on December 1, 2026, and there was already a significant risk of a work stoppage regardless of what one franchise did or did not do.

The goal of this column is to offer seven truths about life, baseball, and competitive balance. These principles help distinguish between the good, the bad, and the ugly approaches to creating parity. Imagine being in the position of a front-office executive, player, owner, or fan. Perspective is important no matter where one stands.

First, spending money does not win championships, but it helps. If you buy a fast car, it can travel fast if it is healthy, working mechanically, and operated by a capable driver. The car must also follow the rules of the road. Sports work in much the same way. A large payroll provides greater opportunities, but it does not guarantee success. Ask the New York Yankees, San Diego Padres, New York Mets, Philadelphia Phillies, Toronto Blue Jays, or other high-spending teams whether payroll guaranteed them a World Series championship in any particular season. Nothing is guaranteed.

Second, payroll does not determine every outcome, particularly during a short postseason series. Baseball is circumstantial and often a game of inches. The Toronto Blue Jays took the Dodgers to the brink of defeat in the 2025 World Series. But for some late heroics, Canada might have celebrated a World Series victory and flown the flag proudly.

Third, imagine if movie studios and streamers tried to convince SAG-AFTRA and its members that a salary cap was necessary to produce better movies or spread competitive balance among the largest and smallest companies. “That studio is too big and too successful,” they might argue. The proposal would sound ludicrous.

Sports leagues are different because their franchises depend on one another to produce games, seasons, and championships. However, entertainment companies still compete for audiences, awards, talent, distribution, and revenue. Competition should be rewarded when it succeeds, not penalized merely because one participant has performed better than others. Suppressing salaries is rarely good economic policy, particularly when the business continues generating greater revenue and franchise value.

Fourth, regulation is not the answer to every dispute. Sometimes teams need to make better decisions and demonstrate a greater commitment to competing. This is one reason the relegation system in European soccer is effective. It imposes direct consequences on teams that consistently fail to perform on the field.

Teams receiving shared league revenue should be expected to invest those resources and demonstrate a credible effort to compete. Policies discouraging tanking should be implemented aggressively. Teams should not be rewarded for deliberately falling in the standings to improve their position in a draft or obtain another competitive benefit.

Baseball’s Competitive Balance Tax already penalizes the highest-spending teams, with proceeds supporting player benefits and other league purposes. The more difficult question is whether low-spending teams should also face consequences when they repeatedly fail to invest in competitive rosters.

The MLBPA has proposed a “Competitive Integrity Tax” for teams that fail to satisfy minimum payroll benchmarks. The proposal would also require teams to use revenue-sharing funds to improve their competitiveness. That approach focuses on encouraging investment rather than suppressing the salaries paid by successful organizations.

Fifth, a policy worth considering is a minimum payroll requirement for teams that consistently produce losing seasons. A low-spending team that remains competitive should not be punished merely for operating efficiently. The consequences should be directed toward teams that repeatedly combine low spending with poor performance and limited investment in improvement.

MLB has proposed both a salary cap and a salary floor in its current bargaining position. A floor may encourage teams to invest more in players, but it should not be used to justify a cap that restricts what ambitious teams may spend. A salary cap would primarily benefit owners by limiting labor costs and making future expenses more predictable. That cost certainty can improve operating margins and support higher franchise valuations because prospective buyers and investors can forecast expenses and returns with greater confidence. However, winning can also increase franchise value by strengthening attendance, viewership, sponsorships, merchandise sales, and long-term brand loyalty. Limiting investment before teams have fully pursued those opportunities may therefore be premature and unwise.

A more balanced policy would require every franchise to reinvest a reasonable percentage of its revenue in the competitive product. That investment could include major-league player salaries, player development, coaching, training facilities, venue improvements, and the fan experience. High-revenue teams should not be permitted to use a salary cap merely to retain a greater share of their revenue, just as low-revenue or revenue-sharing teams should not be permitted to collect league funds without making a credible effort to compete. Teams might spend less under a salary cap and become more profitable, but many of them would still fail to win.

This approach is not inherently pro-player or pro-owner. Players deserve to participate in the growth they help create, while owners deserve reasonable cost certainty and the opportunity to earn a return on their investments. Baseball benefits when both sides invest in the quality, stability, and future of the game. The better policy is to encourage responsible investment across the league without unnecessarily limiting ambition at the top or tolerating inaction at the bottom.

Relegation will almost certainly never happen in the United States because owners, league commissioners, and other governing bodies would resist it. American sports franchises also maintain enormous valuations partly because owners know which league their teams will compete in for the foreseeable future. A meaningful minimum payroll requirement could create some of the incentives associated with relegation without threatening that structural stability.

Sixth, trades often do not work as expected. Prospects sometimes overperform, as Yordan Alvarez did after being traded by the Dodgers, while others never develop into successful major-league players. Experienced players sometimes improve a team, and sometimes they fail. Every decision involves risk. Teams that consistently fail to act are often left behind wondering what happened.

Seventh, baseball more than any other sport requires a balance of long-term investments in prospects, player development, trades, and major-league payroll. Baseball has the longest regular season among the major American professional sports, the most games, the second-largest active rosters after the National Football League, numerous draft rounds, and the most extensive affiliated developmental system.

When this author took the bar exam, a mentor said, “The bar exam is a fair but difficult test. You must be good at many things at once.” That principle is also true in sports, especially baseball. A front office must be good at many things at once.

When surveying unsuccessful teams, the culprit is rarely that another team spent too much. One team may have spent too little or refused to assume reasonable risks. Another may have failed to draft, trade for, or develop talent. One may have ineffective ownership, while another may be constrained by its venue, market, or lease.

In sports, as in life, people matter. Championships and victories are won by and with people. Sports are meant to be competitive. Increasingly, however, competitive failures are blamed on successful organizations when many of those failures can be addressed through better investment, decision-making, and risk-taking. Access to capital alone does not explain competitive success. Access to talented executives, and the willingness to let them compete, often does.

~

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans analyzes how increasingly complex media-rights agreements can determine where games are played, how they are distributed, and whether they happen at all. The canceled Duke–Michigan basketball game demonstrates how competing contractual claims can prevent a valuable sports opportunity from moving forward.

Jeremy discusses why Duke and the ACC believed they could place the game on Amazon Prime Video with ESPN’s approval, while the Big Ten and Fox maintained that the rights belonged to them under an agreement governing neutral-site games between the conferences. The episode also explores media consolidation, the expanding role of sports agencies at the intersection of talent, investment, capital, and strategy, and the consequences that rights disputes create for schools, athletes, venues, sponsors, and fans.

As sports, media, business, technology, and law continue converging, media rights increasingly represent both valuable commercial assets and instruments of control. Future agreements must protect those rights while preserving enough flexibility to create compelling matchups, generate revenue, develop new traditions, and ensure that the underlying games can still be played. 

(Season 8, Episode 29).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.  

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026.  California Sports Lawyer®.  All Rights Reserved.

In this week’s column, California Sports Lawyer® CEO and Managing Attorney Jeremy M. Evans analyzes how increasingly complex media-rights agreements can determine where games are played, how they are distributed, and whether they happen at all.

If the contracts and relationships do not provide opportunities for that growth, they miss the chance to provide entertainment, competition, and frankly more revenue.

You can read the full column below. (Past columns can be found, here).

~

As the sports world consolidates with mergers, acquisitions, and the ability to stream and watch games and highlights immediately on social media and other platforms, there is a growing concern that contracts and terms have gotten too complicated. Too complicated to allow for the flexibility of creating new traditions and excitement. Too complicated because they can erase tradition in college sports when teams are separated by contractual terms, obligations, and conference realignment.

The now-canceled Duke–Michigan basketball game is reminiscent of the proposed conference realignment that could have moved six Big 12 schools into the Pac-10 in 2010. Television rights involving the University of Texas were among the complications that helped prevent that realignment. In both situations, media arrangements limited an otherwise valuable sports opportunity. Duke and the ACC believed they could place the game on Amazon with ESPN’s approval, while the Big Ten and Fox maintained that the rights belonged to them under an agreement governing neutral-site games between the conferences.

The divide-and-conquer approach to dealmaking has expanded platform options and, in some circumstances, lowered the cost of watching games, but also increased the need for more platform subscriptions if one wants to watch live sports. These developments have been made possible by improvements in technology, streaming, and the ability to bring that technology to scale. However, owning broadcast rights also increasingly means controlling location, scheduling, distribution, and whether an event can proceed. Rights disputes can eliminate events, revenue, exposure, and opportunities before a court or arbitrator ever determines who was correct.

It has been interesting to watch the beneficiaries of media consolidation. Unfortunately for the Paramount-Warner Bros. Discovery merger, which makes sense from a distribution and competition standpoint, the transaction follows the Disney–21st Century Fox, Comcast–NBCUniversal, Amazon–MGM, AT&T–Time Warner, WarnerMedia–Discovery, CBS–Viacom, and Skydance–Paramount deals. Although Paramount and Warner Bros. Discovery are smaller than some of their largest competitors even when combined, their proposed combination is encountering significant resistance from California’s attorney general. California’s attorney general is applying an outdated view of competition to a media marketplace increasingly dominated by larger and better-capitalized technology companies.

It is also interesting to see how major agencies like CAA have moved beyond representing talent into larger transactions where they increasingly operate as dealmakers, investment advisers, and connectors between sports properties and capital. After all, agency clients benefit from new content and business opportunities, so agencies have an incentive to help bring those deals to completion. Schools, athletes, venues, sponsors, and fans bear the consequences even though they may not be parties to the controlling media agreements.

Future sports-media contracts need clearer provisions addressing neutral-site games, conference territories, competing platforms, approvals, and dispute resolution. Networks, streamers, conferences, and universities need to be more concerned with flexibility so that their fan bases and college athletes can enjoy the entertainment that sports provide. The true value in sports media is a mix between tradition and new opportunities. If the contracts and relationships do not provide opportunities for that growth, they miss the chance to provide entertainment, competition, and frankly more revenue.

~

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans examines whether the extraordinary attention generated by the 2026 FIFA World Cup can produce lasting growth for American soccer. With the tournament complete, leagues, clubs, networks, sponsors, and development programs now face the challenge of converting temporary interest into sustained fandom, investment, and player-development opportunities.

Jeremy discusses how Major League Soccer, MLS NEXT Pro, the USL Championship, local clubs, youth programs, and development academies can build on the tournament’s momentum. The episode explores the importance of attendance, viewership, sponsorships, merchandise sales, coaching, facilities, advertising, and clearer pathways from youth and college soccer to professional and international competition.

As sports, media, business, technology, and player development continue converging, the long-term impact of the World Cup will be measured by what happens after the final match. American soccer must now demonstrate that it can retain the audience, investment, and cultural relevance created by the tournament while building sustainable sports businesses and expanding the American talent pool.

(Season 8, Episode 28).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this week’s column, California Sports Lawyer® CEO and Managing Attorney Jeremy M. Evans examines whether the 2026 World Cup can convert temporary attention into lasting American soccer fandom, sustainable sports businesses, and expanded player-development opportunities.

Watching the USMNT every four years creates an audience. Supporting a club throughout its season builds a lasting sports business and expands player-development opportunities.

You can read the full column below. (Past columns can be found, here).

~

A successful mega-sporting event can attract enormous audiences, but the true measure of the 2026 World Cup will be whether leagues, networks, sponsors, and clubs can convert temporary attention into lasting American soccer fandom. The quintessential question is whether soccer will become more popular in the United States after the champion has been crowned and the tournament leaves North America. The popularity of soccer in America is not just a financial question. It is also a talent-development question.

Whether the United States Men’s National Team (USMNT) will be more successful at the 2030 World Cup and beyond will depend partly on the player-development system built between tournaments. World Cup enthusiasm matters if it leads to more youth registrations, greater investment in coaching and academies, improved facilities, and clearer pathways from local clubs to college soccer, MLS NEXT Pro, the USL Championship, Major League Soccer (MLS), and international competition. Fandom alone does not develop better players, but the participation and investment generated by that fandom can expand the American talent pool.

Money, of course, is important. Professional athletes want to be paid well to play, and unfortunately, MLS does not pay as well as overseas leagues by a wide margin. MLS is successful, but a business needs to make money to retain talent and build a successful sports league. It cannot borrow money and rely on other league subsidies. It needs to turn a consistent profit and grow.

We wrote previously that the 2026 World Cup was a fantastic success. The stadiums were full while the USMNT competed and after it exited the tournament. Fans from around the world fell in love with America and its culture. The biggest controversy was a red card given to an American player, which is to say that there was little to no controversy off the pitch. We should be grateful that people enjoyed themselves and that two of the biggest surprises were the hospitality and the heat in some American cities. Americans should be proud of how the country, FIFA, government leaders, and sports businesses hosted the tournament. Americans also showed grace in hosting, and those stories will help spread the love of the game. It is also true that visitors to the United States and their cultures have had and will continue to have an impact on Americans.

Advertising also changed around the game with “hydration breaks.” Normally, soccer is an uncomfortable subject for advertisers because there are no frequent timeouts or commercial breaks, and thus fewer opportunities to sell advertising space. Soccer is a continuous game, although fouls and video assistant referee (VAR) reviews often delay the game and could provide opportunities for split-screen commercial breaks.

The business test should be measurable. MLS, MLS NEXT Pro, and USL Championship attendance and viewership, youth registrations, local-club sponsorships, merchandise sales, and investment in development academies will show whether the World Cup created lasting domestic value. Another important measure will be whether casual viewers establish connections with particular teams and continue following them after national-team competition ends. Watching the USMNT every four years creates an audience. Supporting a club throughout its season creates a lasting sports business and more player-development opportunities.

The 2026 World Cup benefited from being held mostly in the United States and from record interest across television, streaming, and social media. The more difficult test will come between now and 2030, when the tournament will be hosted primarily in Spain, Portugal, and Morocco. The World Cup has already passed the test as a successful mega-event. American soccer must now prove that it can retain the fans, investment, and cultural relevance produced by the tournament while strengthening player-development.

America has work to do. Americans have shown that they can build successful sports businesses, as demonstrated by the country’s leading professional baseball, basketball, football, and hockey leagues. American soccer can do the same, but growth will require investment and competition.

~

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans examines why consent is becoming one of the most valuable commercial assets in entertainment, media, and sports. As technology continues transforming how content is created, distributed, licensed, and consumed, consent has evolved beyond a legal requirement into a strategic business advantage that increasingly shapes commercial relationships across the industry.

Jeremy discusses how artificial intelligence, intellectual property, contracts, publicity rights, name, image, and likeness (NIL), licensing, and digital content are redefining the importance of transparency, trust, and permission. The episode explores how businesses, creators, athletes, and rightsholders can better protect their interests while navigating rapidly evolving technologies and business models.

As entertainment, media, sports, business, technology, and law continue converging, consent is becoming the foundation upon which modern content businesses are built. Understanding how contracts, technology, and trust intersect provides valuable insight into why the organizations creating the greatest long-term value will be those that earn, negotiate, protect, and clearly define consent.

(Season 8, Episode 27).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this week’s column, California Sports Lawyer® CEO and Managing Attorney Jeremy M. Evans discusses why consent has become one of the most valuable commercial assets in entertainment, media, and sports, and why contracts, technology, and trust will shape its future.

Consent is the foundation that content is being built upon.

You can read the full column below. (Past columns can be found, here).

~

It was once that consent in the entertainment business was an afterthought in the viewing, advertising, and distribution of content. The Federal Communications Commission (FCC), parental guidance, and cost controls were once the only thing standing between what people watched. Much of that is still true today, but with the expansion in streaming platforms there are now many options to reach people and with it rules and responsibilities for consent.

Requirements for consent in advertising also became more important when legislation and streaming and social media platforms gave people more control and choice in what to watch. Consent, however, is two-sided, separated by money and actual consent. Simply put, what someone pays and what someone chooses in their settings and preferences.

Entertainment, media, and sports have always depended on consent. Today, consent is no longer simply a legal requirement. It is becoming one of the most valuable commercial assets because every new technology makes it easier to use, recreate, distribute, and monetize another person’s work, likeness, voice, or identity. Entertainment, media, and sports companies are competing for content and the rights to use it and consent to reach audiences.

Meta’s AI dispute illustrates the challenge for the entertainment business today. The powerful generative artificial intelligence tools now allow lay people to create content, which is great, but also potentially harmful to copyright owners. Meta's proposed Instagram tool raised concerns that it could facilitate unauthorized uses of copyrighted works by allowing AI-generated content to resemble or incorporate protected material without appropriate licensing or another legal defense. Legally, the aforementioned is not a strong legal foundation and almost certainly infringement without licensing or some other defense.

AI is accelerating the conversation by making consent for use and reach even more important. AI simply makes it easier to both create content and reach people. Therefore, the companies that build trust through consent, clear disclosure, and approval will gain a long-term competitive advantage. Fortune favors the bold, but also the honest, consistent, and truthful.

The trend in consent extends well beyond AI. Consent applies to athletes and sports properties, specifically NIL licensing. Publicity rights, music catalogs, digital replicas, creator economy agreements, and sports media rights are increasingly subject to AI recreation and require clear consent for their use. Consent is the foundation that content is being built upon.

Contracts and digital terms and conditions have become even more important in the consent age of content. Contracts will increasingly need to define what parties have consented to, and for how long, and what happens when a dispute arises. Future agreements should address AI training, digital replicas, voice, image, data, and future technologies. Companies will not be able to rely on the “everyone else is doing it” justification as the courts and law catch up with technological advancements. Technological advancements are great for innovation, but eventually modernization is met with reality in use and the law.

Companies creating the greatest long-term value will not necessarily be those with the best technology. The most successful entertainment and sports companies will be the ones that earn, negotiate, protect, and clearly define consent. Consent is no longer simply about avoiding liability. It is increasingly becoming one of the most valuable commercial assets in entertainment, media, and sports.

~

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.  

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans takes listeners inside the business of the 2026 FIFA World Cup and explains why the tournament has become one of the world’s largest sports businesses. While billions of fans are watching the matches, executives, broadcasters, sponsors, host cities, and media companies are participating in one of the most successful commercial enterprises in global sports.

Jeremy discusses how FIFA generates revenue through media rights, sponsorships, licensing, hospitality, and prize money while examining the economic impact on broadcasters, advertisers, host cities, tourism, and the growing content economy. The episode also explains how FIFA distributes prize money to participating national football associations and how those funds support player bonuses and football development.

As sports, entertainment, media, business, technology, and law continue converging, the FIFA World Cup demonstrates how a global sporting event can become one of the world’s most successful business models. Understanding the business behind the tournament provides insight into how value is created, who benefits economically, and why there are two stories to every World Cup: who wins the trophy and how billions of dollars move through the global sports economy.

(Season 8, Episode 26).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this week’s column, California Sports Lawyer® CEO and Managing Attorney Jeremy M. Evans takes readers inside the business of the 2026 FIFA World Cup, comparing it to other major sports and explaining the five reasons it has become one of the biggest business events in the world.

There are two stories to the World Cup. The first is who wins the trophy and the second is how billions of dollars move through the global sports economy and who captures the value.

You can read the full column below. (Past columns can be found, here).

~

While billions of fans are watching the matches, thousands of executives are watching the money. The World Cup is not simply the world's largest sporting event. It is the world's largest sports business. The only thing separating FIFA’s World Cup from other major sports like the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL is that it occurs every four years for one month, not annually over a six-month season.

With FIFA expanding the field of teams from 32 to 48 in 2026, every goal creates economic activity far beyond the pitch. There are two stories to the World Cup. The first is who wins the trophy, and the second is how billions of dollars move through the global sports economy and who captures the value.

At the outset, FIFA gets paid first. FIFA owns the copyright to its name, broadcast and streaming rights to games, media related to the tournament, sponsorships, ticketing, licensing, and hospitality. FIFA’s control over broadcast and media rights creates scarcity, which increases price, exclusivity, and general interest. Imagine being the National Football League, but also being commissioner of the league and owner of each team. FIFA is expected to generate approximately $13 billion in revenue during its 2023-2026 commercial cycle, driven largely by the month-long 2026 World Cup. By comparison, the NFL brings in $23 billion annually and is played for six months. Similarly, the NBA is about $12.5 billion, MLB is $12.1 billion, NHL $7-8 billion, and MLS $2.5 billion per year.

The downside to the World Cup is that the venues switch every four years, meaning the costs can fluctuate drastically. For example, there have been reports that the World Cup has considered expanding to 64 teams and hosting again in the United States in 2038. The World Cup in North America has been the most successful because of the matches and social media, but also because no new venues have to be built. The tournament has also highlighted the beauty of the Americas and the United States.

Broadcasters and advertisers also buy attention. The World Cup is one of the few live events that still gathers massive live audiences, making it valuable for television, streaming, advertising, and subscriber retention. Viewership has broken records with 20-30+ million people watching each match with total viewership for the tournament to surpass 5 billion people.

Sponsors as advertisers are also doing more than buying attention. Where nations are concerned, advertisers are buying into patriotism, culture, storylines, and access to a global audience. The World Cup provides brands with an opportunity to reach audiences and cultures they otherwise might not. FIFA’s firm grip on sponsorship and disallowance of non-paying brands (e.g., Levi’s Stadium in Santa Clara, CA) only helps brands looking for more recognition by clearing the plate of competitors and placement.

Another part to the World Cup’s economic footprint is that host cities have become marketplaces for trade, commerce, and fun. Hotels, airlines, restaurants, security, transportation, staffing, and local businesses all participate in the economic activity around the event even if the business is not sponsoring. The host cities are tourist departments for encouraging travel to see the Americas. People of the world might be seeing the United States, Canada, and Mexico for the first time.

The individual matches are also content engines within themselves. Each clip and comment has the potential to go viral. The World Cup with the help of social media engagement has changed American interest in the game. Games create highlights, podcasts, newsletters, social clips, betting content, data products, merchandise, creator stories, and opportunities.

The USA's performance in the tournament will only increase engagement and interest the further the team goes. There is something about nation-versus-nation competition that brings people together unlike almost anything else. On the field, countries compete for a championship. Off the field, the World Cup has become one of the most successful business models in global sports.

~

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans examines why identity is becoming one of the most valuable commercial assets in sports and entertainment. As artificial intelligence increasingly enables a person’s voice, likeness, image, movement, and persona to be recreated, replicated, and commercialized, contracts are evolving beyond traditional performances to address publicity rights, licensing, and digital identity.

Jeremy discusses how these developments are influencing negotiations across Hollywood, professional sports, collegiate athletics, media, and the broader creator economy. The episode explores the intersection of artificial intelligence, publicity rights, intellectual property, and name, image, and likeness (NIL), while considering the legal and business questions surrounding consent, ownership, digital replicas, and future technologies.

As sports, entertainment, media, and technology continue converging, the conversation is shifting from what someone creates to who controls their identity. Understanding how contracts evolve to protect, license, and commercialize identity may become one of the defining legal and business issues of the next generation.

(Season 8, Episode 25).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this week’s column, California Sports Lawyer® CEO and Managing Attorney Jeremy M. Evans examines why identity is emerging as the next battleground in sports and entertainment, as artificial intelligence reshapes contracts, publicity rights, and the commercial value of a person's voice, likeness, and persona.

The thing with AI is that it can recreate what is human and that is what makes it valuable, enterprising, and alarming.

You can read the full column below. (Past columns can be found, here).

~

The essence of a person is their identity. How a person looks, speaks, and thinks. A person’s identity has always been valuable. In Hollywood and sports, there is an increasing call to digitize actors and athletes for their identity to be used currently or at a later date. Artificial intelligence (“AI”) is making identity even more valuable because talent can now be recreated, replicated, and commercialized. Performance is increasingly being replaced (or assisted) by the ability to replicate identity and performance, changing what is negotiated in entertainment, media, and sports agreements.

It is seemingly less costly to create and use a digital asset than a physical asset (or person). That economic reality explains why studios, leagues, and technology companies increasingly seek contractual rights to use a person’s identity beyond the original performance. Collective bargaining agreements, individual contracts, and publicity rights laws all play a role in protecting an actor’s or athlete’s identity unless those rights are specifically licensed. A further limitation is a moral or even a market-based question. Should a person’s persona be able to be licensed completely for future works (whether living or deceased)? Who owns the digital version of a person after the original performance has ended? Will the market accept such artificially generated works?

According to The Hollywood Reporter, a recent dispute between a studio and child actors raised the question of whether a minor could sign away their identity or publicity rights. Although the question in that matter is specific to someone under 18 years old signing a contract and making lifelong decisions, which is important to decide, the broader question is distinguishing between generative artificial intelligence and human identity. More specifically, how such rights and responsibilities are negotiated in contracts.

The dispute is not simply about AI-generated voices. It is about the change of contracts themselves. For decades, sports and entertainment agreements focused on performances and creative works. Increasingly, they are governing something far more personal: identity.

It might not be that an “AI” disclaimer is the answer to all questions regarding content origins. Signing away your identity raises moral and responsibility questions. The questions must be asked: Can someone meaningfully license a digital version of themselves? Should AI rights be perpetual? How should contracts address future technologies that do not yet exist? Are minors capable of consenting to rights that may have lifelong commercial consequences? What protections should exist for voice, likeness, movement, and other identity attributes?

Hollywood and sports are already confronting this shift. Studios are negotiating AI voice and digital replica rights with actors, while SAG-AFTRA has secured contractual protections governing consent and compensation for AI-generated performances. James Earl Jones licensed the future use of his iconic Darth Vader voice, illustrating that a person's voice has become a valuable licensable asset. In sports, NIL agreements, EA Sports' licensing of thousands of college athletes for its video game, athlete avatars, motion capture, and AI-generated content all demonstrate that contracts increasingly govern not only performances, but the commercial use of an individual's identity. The common thread is that voice, likeness, image, and persona are becoming among the most valuable assets in sports and entertainment.

In each case, the negotiation is shifting from “What did you create?” to “Who are you, and who controls your digital identity?” The answers to those questions are what distinguishes between human and AI. The thing with AI is that it can recreate what is human and that is what makes it valuable, enterprising, and alarming. However, without guardrails, it possibly makes humans less valuable in the digital age as physical beings, but possibly more valuable as digital assets. The change is alarming because it diminishes the importance of the finality of life and death and lowers the distinction between what is authentic and what is synthetic.

It is one thing to license future use of a person’s identity or likeness. It is another to license future use of a human’s identity or likeness with the assistance of AI. Contracts are one avenue to regulate the use. It may also take public policy and legislation to insert restrictions. It may also be that the marketplace for ideas and content will self-regulate by people through their purchase power establishing preferences for people and things that are presented in real time and without assistance.

~

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans examines why the next major challenge facing college athletics is not athlete compensation, but the governance and enforcement of name, image, and likeness (NIL).

Jeremy discusses the rapid development of NIL, the role of the NCAA and College Sports Commission, and the growing need for consistent oversight, compliance, and dispute-resolution mechanisms. As NIL opportunities continue to expand, questions surrounding enforcement, deal valuations, recruiting, and institutional accountability have become increasingly important.

The episode also explores the legal and business implications of NIL governance and why the future of college sports may depend on who creates, interprets, and enforces the rules.

(Season 8, Episode 24).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this week’s column, California Sports Lawyer® CEO and Managing Attorney Jeremy M. Evans discusses why the current battle in college athletics is not athlete compensation, but the enforcement and governance systems that will ultimately determine the future of NIL.

The NCAA is not an entrepreneurial entity that can take more risk and move swiftly. Expecting the NCAA to act as something it is not is without reason and unrealistic.

You can read the full column below. (Past columns can be found, here).

~

Name, image, and likeness (“NIL”) is here stay. For better, worse, and best, NIL (pronounced “N” “I” “L”, not nil, the word for no goals in soccer), is not going away. Pandora’s box has been opened and it will be nearly impossible to take back the pay system.

What remains is the enforcement of NIL, college student-athletes, coaches, recruiters, athletic departments, and sponsors/brands/advertisers. The question around enforcement is the most important topic and question in college sports. Most have accepted the idea that NIL is a permanent system.

However, much like the point in history when free agency was gained by professional athletes for the first time, the essential idea became not free agency, but how free agency would be managed. What are the rules and responsibilities for each side? What are the policies? What are the consequences and remedies? Most importantly, who enforces the rules, laws, and policies?

In NIL’s current phase, there is much debate around not only the rules of business, but also who enforces violations of the rules. Recent disputes involving NIL deal valuations, transfer portal recruiting, and booster involvement demonstrate the difficulty. The challenge is often not determining whether a rule exists, but deciding who investigates, who decides, and what penalties apply. Without a settlement of the rules and enforcement, litigation will continue at an unsustainable rate. Litigation causes confusion and inconsistency before a court decision and sometimes a decision after as well.

In the past, this column addressed the need of a centralized entity and commissioner beyond the NCAA to handle NIL and money management as a business system. The NCAA was created as a nonprofit entity to enforce rules with an importance on education. To ask the NCAA to now become a central clearinghouse or enforcement entity on a much large scale is not only unwise, it is unfair to the NCAA, athletic institutions, athletes, coaches, and fans.

Remember, the NCAA was once tasked to enforce a no tolerance policy: no money or value going to athletes for any reason outside of scholarships and health benefits and no hiring of an agent. To go from that to essentially pay for play through both NIL and the House settlement (providing a share of school revenue with the athletes of a minimum of $20.5 million dollars and rising over the next decade) is the complete opposite mission. The NCAA is not an entrepreneurial entity that can take more risk and move swiftly. Expecting the NCAA to act as something it is not is without reason and unrealistic.

Relying on Congress although helpful, might not be the best decision. Much like taxes and federal regulation: once it gets introduced and implemented, it is more likely to be increased, and less likely decreased, and even less likely, removed all together. Federal legislation may provide clarity, but it could also create additional layers of regulation and unintended consequences. It may be self-regulation through the creation of policy, process, and enforcement that is best pathway forward. The College Sports Commission or some CSC+ entity, to follow Hollywood’s love for adding a plus (“+”) to an existing, but renewed streaming platform, needs to be given teeth and power to review and possibly enforce. It is possible that rules agreed to by the universities and conferences could be reviewed or investigated by the CSC and enforced by the NCAA that would also allow for dispute resolution and appeals.

Power in college sports requires money and resources. The CSC has issues with reviewing NIL deals because it does not have the resources (or arguably the enforcement power) to do the work completely and thoroughly. The challenge is that enforcement requires both authority and resources. Any successful system must be viewed as independent, transparent, and consistent by universities, athletes, conferences, and fans alike. The rules agreed to must address Title IX, the transfer portal, contracts, financial valuations and limitations, and employment law. Some of these rules decisions and enforcement will of course invite litigation, but it would be much better to fight for a cause unified as one as opposed to divided.

Every mature industry eventually develops compliance, enforcement, and dispute-resolution mechanisms. NIL is simply entering that stage. The debate is no longer whether athletes should be compensated. The debate is whether college sports can create a credible and durable system to govern that compensation. If it cannot, courts, legislators, and outside stakeholders will continue filling the void. The universities, NCAA, and athlete leadership would be wise to meet and host meetings and conferences to solve the issues facing its business immediately as opposed to relying on time to pass, litigation, or legislative efforts to solve its problems.

~

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.

In this episode of the California Sports Lawyer® Podcast, host Jeremy Evans examines the rapid rise of the creator economy and its growing influence across the sports and entertainment businesses. As athletes, entertainers, teams, leagues, media personalities, and content creators increasingly build direct relationships with audiences through digital platforms, traditional models of media, marketing, and brand engagement continue to evolve.

Jeremy discusses how content creators, social media platforms, and emerging technologies have expanded opportunities for individuals and organizations to control their own narratives, develop personal brands, and generate new revenue streams. The episode explores the shifting dynamics between traditional media companies and independent creators, as well as the growing importance of audience engagement in a digitally connected marketplace.

The discussion also addresses the business implications of creator-driven content, including sponsorship opportunities, intellectual property considerations, influencer marketing, athlete and entertainer entrepreneurship, and the changing expectations of consumers. As the creator economy continues reshaping sports, entertainment, and media, stakeholders throughout these industries may need to consider how innovation, authenticity, and audience connection will influence the future of content creation, commerce, and fan engagement.

(Season 8, Episode 23).

Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!

You can listen to the podcast, HERE.

About Jeremy M. Evans:

Jeremy M. Evans is the Chief Entrepreneur Officer, Founder & Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. An award-winning attorney and industry leader, Evans is based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.

About Bleav:

Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?

Copyright © 2026. California Sports Lawyer®. All Rights Reserved.