Sports law conference to study intellectual property issues

Those with an interest in sports law and intellectual property rights should mark October 5 on their calendars.

The National Sports Law Institute of Marquette University Law School will hold is annual conference at Marquette that day, and the theme of this year's conference is "Intellectual Property Issues in Sports: Trademarks, Unfair Competition and Athletes' Publicity Rights."

Speakers will include representatives from Major League Baseball, the NBA, NCAA, NFL, NFL Players Association, Nike, IMG, the Salt Lake City Organizing Committee of the Olympic Winter Games and Turner Sports.

Panel discussions will include: "Protection and Enforcement of NCAA and University Marks," "Worldwide Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights," "Athletics Event Sponsorship and Player Product Endorsements," and "Professional League and Team Intellectual Property Rights."

This year's conference honoree and winner of the institute's Master of the Game Award is Tommy Thompson, U.S. Secretary of Health and Human Services.

The Master of the Game Award honors an individual who has made substantial contributions to the sports industry at the national level and who exemplifies the highest level of professionalism in his or her field.

For additional information about the conference, contact the National Sports Law Institute at 414/288-5815.

Coaches 'rule' with free NCAA books

Head coaches at NCAA active and provisional member institutions will receive complimentary copies of NCAA rules books published for their sports, beginning with the recent mailing of 2001 NCAA Football Rules and Interpretations.

Previously, rules books were not included in the publications sent to NCAA members as part of their membership dues.

Those individuals who would like to order additional copies of rules books, as well as any NCAA Sports Library items, may do so by calling 888/388-9748 or ordering online in the "News and publications" section of ncaa.org.

Anti-sports ad to run in Rutgers magazine

Alumni of Rutgers, The State University of New Jersey, New Brunswick, will see an anti-sports advertisement in their alumni magazine.

The school, which lost a court ruling on the issue in March, will appeal the ruling but go ahead and run the ad.

"We decided it was important to show the university appealing on the basis of principles, not to suppress the viewpoint of the Rutgers 1000 in their ad," said David Scott, the school's university counsel. University officials have stated that the magazine's advertising pages should not be subject to the same First Amendment protections as its editorial pages.

Rutgers 1000 -- a group composed of students, faculty and alumni -- wants Rutgers to leave the Big East Conference, stop awarding athletics scholarships and decrease spending on athletics.

"We care desperately about the future of Rutgers," said Richard Seclow, a member of the Rutgers 1000 Alumni Council. "We are the loyal opposition. We're loyal to the university but opposed to big-time sports."

Sports Photography workshop slated

The 17th annual Sports Photography Workshop, organized by Rich Clarkson and Associates, is scheduled for June 25-30 in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

This year's event features practical instruction in digital photography as well as the use of new Nikon digital cameras.

Additional information is available at www.richclarkson.com or by calling 800/745-3211. Photographers affiliated with NCAA member institutions receive a discount.

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