Fast Forward: The Changing Landscape of Sports Media

Volume 31 Issue 2 Article 1 7-1-2024 Fast Forward: The Changing Landscape of Sports Media Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium Follow this and additional works at: https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/mslj Part of the Other Law Commons Recommended Citation Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium, Fast Forward: The Changing Landscape of Sports Media, 31 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports L.J. 251 (2024). Available at: https://digitalcommons.law.villanova.edu/mslj/vol31/iss2/1 This Symposia is brought to you for free and open access by the Journals at Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law Digital Repository. It has been accepted for inclusion in Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal by an authorized editor of Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law Digital Repository. For more information, please contact . THE 2024 JEFFREY S. MOORAD SPORTS LAW JOURNAL SYMPOSIUM FAST FORWARD: THE CHANGING LANDSCAPE OF SPORTS MEDIA I ntroduction /W elcome Mark C. Alexander, Arthur J. Kania Dean and Professor of Law Jeffrey Moorad ’81 Partner, Morgan, Lewis & Bockius LLP & Principal, Morgan Lewis Consulting Andrew Brandt Executive Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law, Professor of Practice Dean Mark Alexander [00:00:15] Good morning and welcome. Welcome here, to the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. For those who don’t know me, I’m Mark Alexander. Have the distinct honor of being the Arthur J. Kania Dean here at the law school. So I’m just here to say a quick welcome to our sports law symposium. Every year, it’s just an extraordinary conversation. And, this year, I am certain that we will deliver in the tradition that we have had in the past. I’m so very pleased that we have this emphasis here at the law school, this extraordinary program in sports law. I always think about how we teach folks the subjects, contracts, common law, torts, things like that. But what we can do with our sports law program, is we get the students in a position where they are putting what they’re taught in motion, putting skills in motion. They go to these negotiation competitions. They have a journal where they work on their academic skills. There’s so many ways in which we develop the skills, the knowledge, the expertise, and ultimately, hopefully, I think the career path for our students to move into the world of sports law. And also, as we all do today, we have important conversations about the world of sports law. We contribute to how the law is developing. And, you know, every day you can see a different headline about how sports law is affecting American society. So I’m just very proud that we have the sports law program that is an essential component of what we do. (251) 252 J effrey S. M oorad S ports L aw J ournal [Vol. 31: p. 251 And in that context, I am particularly grateful for the support of Jeff Moorad in making this happen. You know, the reality is I do all I can to try to run a good law school, but it takes folks like Jeff to be able to expand our work, expand our program into this kind of area. Jeff is a distinguished member of the class of ‘81. The class of ‘81 is an impressive class. We have folks like Jamie McKeon, who is actually the head of the Morgan Lewis firm, and I’m grateful for their support. They’re supporting us today. I’m just so grateful for the Morgan Lewis firm. Another classmate of his was our beloved professor, Doris Brogan. But, today, I have no more favorite member of the class of ‘81 than Jeff Moorad. Jeff has, you know, had an extraordinary career. If there’s a job in sports that exists, if there’s a transaction in sports that has happened, Jeff has been part of it. He has been on every side of labor management and ownership. He sees the transactions, he proposes the transactions, he makes these things happen. He has been truly visionary throughout his career. And he has been a role model for so many who are seeking a career in sports. And on top of that, I will just say that has been my great blessing to get to know Jeff, as an alum, but also as a friend. He always has great stories. He always has great insights. I’m grateful for his friendship. I am, as a dean, grateful for his support of the law school. So, ladies and gentlemen, big Villanova Law welcome for Jeff Moorad. Jeffrey S. Moorad: [00:03:43] Thanks, Dean. And welcome, everyone. Gosh, we don’t put Annual on the, you know, materials. What is it? 12th annual? 12th annual symposium. Wow. It was, probably 13 years ago that I sat down with, then Dean John Gotanda and kind of laid out a vision for, you know, creating a path for the future for young law students who aspired to careers in sports. And, you know, I made the same pitch to two deans before that. They both looked at me cross-eyed and, with all due respect… And John Gotanda looked at me and said “we can do that.” I’m like, really? I said, “I’ve heard, I’ve heard no twice before.” He’s like, “nope.” He goes, “we can make that happen.” I said, “you know what? That’s outstanding.” And I got behind it. I, you know, stepped up, created the center that exists today. Which is obviously much more developed today than it was 12 years ago or 13 years ago. And we made it a reality. And, you know, I was proud to do it at my alma mater. The dean mentioned Doris, who has been a professor here for probably more years than she cares to remember. We all went to law school together, many, many years ago. But, you know, when I came out of law school in ‘81, I had a dream about being in a career in sports. And at the time when I would tell people that they said, “you want to do what?” 2024] T he 2024 J effrey S. M oorad S ymposium 253 I said “no, no, I want to be in sports.” They said, “well, what does that mean?” “Mean,” I said, “I’m not sure what it means, but I’m going to figure it out.” And at this point in my life, what I care about is helping younger people figure it out. And to the extent that’s possible and more achievable because of the Moorad Center. That’s a good result. So I’m very, very happy about that. I’m also, very pleased, as the Dean referenced, that Morgan Lewis, which is the law firm that I’m affiliated with. I’m the chairman of their global sports practice and I don’t practice law- don’t tell anybody. But, what I do is support the firm and, and support its efforts in sports and in the sports industry. And I’m pleased that Morgan Lewis, for I think the fifth straight year has agreed to sponsor this symposium. So we’re grateful for their support and excited about the day ahead, or the morning ahead. We promised to get you out of here in a few hours. But lastly, I really want to tell a quick story. And that was, when Tom Gotanda and I sat down those years ago, once we finished our business transaction, the obvious question was, “who are we going to have lead this?” It wasn’t going to be me. John Gotanda moved on and is now the president of Hawaii Pacific Univer (...truncated)