The 2022 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium, 4/1
"The Age of the Empowered Athlete"
Friday, April 1, 2022
9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m.
Arthur M. Goldberg ’66 Commons
John F. Scarpa Hall
Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
299 N. Spring Mill Road, Villanova, PA 19085
What does the current name, image and likeness (NIL) marketplace for amateur athletes look like a year into “the new normal?” What changes have affected amateur athletics and how will these programs be impacted moving forward? How have athletes at all levels used their voices to bring awareness to the importance of mental health in sports? The 2022 Jeffrey S. Moorad Sports Law Journal Symposium will explore these issues and the changes we have seen in sports during the age of the empowered athlete.
This year’s symposium will take place from 9:00 a.m.–1:00 p.m. at the Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law. This event is approved by the Pennsylvania Continuing Legal Education Board for 3 In-Person Substantive CLE credits. Please note registration prior to the event is required; general admission is no cost.
Agenda
*Subject to change
8:15–8:50 a.m.: Pre-Panel – "Careers in Sports Law"
Room 102
This annual pre-symposium panel will feature practicing agents and attorneys discussing the realities of a business so many want to enter. This panel will include Andrew Brandt, Executive Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law & Professor of Practice, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law and Jeffrey S. Moorad '81, Chairman, Morgan Lewis Global Sports Industry Practice and Principal, MSP Sports Capital, both former agents.
- Gregory Bailey '20, Associate, Blank Rome LLP
- Karl Fowlkes '17, Founder and Managing Partner, The Fowlkes Firm
- Ingrid Petri, Vice President, AEG Global Portfolio Sales
- Arun Thottakara '21, Name, Image & Likeness Legal Coordinator, Excel Sports Management
9:00–9:10 a.m.: Introductions
9:10–10:10 a.m.: Q&A with Scott Pioli, Former NFL Executive and Front Office Analyst for NFL Network & CBS Sports
Moderated by Andrew Brandt, Executive Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law & Professor of Practice, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
10:15–11:15 a.m.: Panel 1 – Name, Image, Likeness: A Year in Review
This panel will discuss the current state of name, image and likeness (NIL) a year into the "new normal." This will be a follow-up to last year’s NIL panel and will examine the challenges faced by athletes, athletic departments and conferences as they navigate the continually changing landscape. The panel will discuss the legal and regulatory landscape of NIL, and the changes that have occurred since the NIL marketplace opened last year.
- Kevin Hopkins, Vice President, Golf, Excel Sports Management
- Lyam MacKinnon '23 CLAS, Villanova University Soccer Player
- Don Shelkey, Partner, Morgan Lewis LLP
- Cody Wilcoxson '18, Associate, Blank Rome LLP
Moderated by Andrew Brandt, Executive Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law & Professor of Practice, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
11:20 a.m.–12:05 p.m.: Panel 2 – Future of the NCAA
This year’s "Future of the NCAA" panel will address the many changes occurring in amateur athletics, specifically in the NCAA. Topics will include the new NCAA charter and the changing role of the organizations, as well as the rights of student-athletes and the potential unionization of college players. The panel will also discuss how the COVID-19 pandemic has affected and propelled these changes.
- Crystal Carey, Associate, Morgan Lewis LLP
- Len Elmore, Co-Chair, Knight Commission on Intercollegiate Athletics
- Maddie Salamone, Attorney & Athlete Advocate and Former Chair, National Student-Athlete Advisory Committee
- Kendall Spencer, Member of NCAA Constitution Committee and Transformation Committee, Former NCAA Board Member and Former Chair of National Student-Athlete Advisory Counsel
- Jason Stahl, Executive Director and Founder, College Football Players Association (CFBPA)
Moderated by Andrew Brandt, Executive Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law & Professor of Practice, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
12:10–12:55 p.m.: Panel 3 – Mental Health and Safety of Athletes
This panel will examine the importance of mental health and support of athletes in all levels of sport, from amateur to professional athletics. This panel will discuss how the focus on mental health support for athletes has evolved in recent years. The panel will bring together athletes, mental health program coordinators and league executives to discuss the mental health and wellness programs in place in various leagues and levels of sport.
- Dr. Alfiee M. Breland-Noble, Mental Health Correspondent and Founder of The AAKOMA Project, a BIPOC Mental Health Organization
- Sharon Masling, Partner, Morgan Lewis LLP
- Ari S. Miller, MA, LCPC, Assistant Director, Student-Athlete Mental Health & Performance, Johns Hopkins University
- Brian Westbrook '01 VSB, former Philadelphia Eagles All-Pro Running Back and Member, SeventySix Capital Athlete Venture Group
Moderated by Andrew Brandt, Executive Director of the Jeffrey S. Moorad Center for the Study of Sports Law & Professor of Practice, Villanova University Charles Widger School of Law
12:55–1:05 p.m.: Closing Remarks
The Moorad Symposium is sponsored by Morgan Lewis.