Congratulations to HBC sports law and business law attorney Tim Shannon! The July/August issue of Colorado Lawyer magazine features his article on the evolving landscape of the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) rules in Colorado.
In his article, “The State of the NCAA’s Name, Image, and Likeness Rules in Colorado,” Tim unpacks the evolution of NIL rights by tracing its origins, analyzing landmark court cases, explaining the changing attitudes towards athlete compensation, and summarizing the NCAA’s series of ever-growing concessions to student-athletes in response to public criticism of its strict amateurism model.
Per the article, “in less than a decade, the NCAA evolved from an organization that punished those who took $3.83 worth of free pasta into an organization that allows student-athletes to make millions of dollars from the use of their NILs.”
The article also examines how the broader field of sports law can be a massive opportunity for Colorado attorneys from a wide range of practice areas. For example, “student-athletes need help from experienced business and tax attorneys to negotiate NIL contracts, manage risks, and minimize tax liabilities. NCAA institutions need to leverage NIL deals to recruit and retain top athletes and coaches without alienating sponsors, alumni, and boosters. NIL collectives, many of which operate as 501(c)(3) organizations, need advice on how to vigorously pursue their missions without impacting their tax-exempt status. The NCAA needs to optimize its business model without running afoul of state and federal antitrust and NIL laws. Businesses need help licensing student-athlete NILs and negotiating marketing deals.”
HBC formally launched its Sports Law practice in 2022 in response to the growing needs of its clients for sports law representation. As a CU Law graduate and former Division 1 baseball player at the University of Minnesota, Tim leverages his business law practice and his own experiences as a student-athlete to advise clients in HBC’s growing sports law practice.
Congrats to you Tim! Thanks for sharing your insights on this highly relevant legal topic with the Colorado Law community!