Spencer Fane was pleased to sponsor AthleteCon 3.0 on June 3-5. Attorneys Joey Blake, Tom Edwards, James Jaworski, and Tyler Thomas represented the firm at the event, with Joey also presenting.
AthleteCon is a one-of-a-kind conference, as it is the only event in the country where athletes can execute name, image, and likeness (NIL) deals with brands on the spot. The conference also equips athletes, brands, college administrators, and industry experts with practical skills in content creation, financial literacy, legal education, mental wellness, and long-term career development.
Leveraging his prior experience litigating House v. NCAA, Joey provided an antitrust and sports law perspective as a panelist for the session “What Comes Next? The Future of NIL.” The session examined the legal issues athletic departments must consider as they navigate the evolving NIL landscape following the House settlement. Topics included NIL licensing agreements between schools and student-athletes, Title IX compliance in revenue-sharing distributions, and the potential classification of student-athletes as employees.
At Spencer Fane, Joey, Tom, James, and Tyler maintain multifaceted practices spanning sports and entertainment, intellectual property, and litigation and dispute resolution, with a focus on delivering client-centered solutions. In NIL-related matters, the team negotiates and reviews deals and contracts, advises clients on compliance with NCAA bylaws and state NIL laws, and counsels amateur leagues on developing sustainable NIL programs.