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!
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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!?
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