S. Sports Corruption, Discrimination, and Equity Concerns in U.S. Sports

Competitive sports are a multi-billion dollar, global business, and regulation of national and international sports constitutes a critical part of the industry. In addition to on-field rule making and economic issues, sports organizations and regulating bodies must address corruption concerns like doping and match-fixing, and to an increasing extent are also involved in addressing and adjudicating concerns around race-based, sex-based, and gender-based discrimination and abuse. Recent legal developments around Name, Image and Likeness income and payments by colleges to student-athletes have roiled the college sports landscape. And nearly half of states have passed legislation to limit the ability of transgender athletes to compete in their categories of choice in sports competitions. The course provides a comprehensive discussion of the regulation of these concerns in sport at the national level (focusing on the professional leagues and college sports), and the multilateral level (the Olympic Games and other international competitions). Class time will consist of discussions led by the instructor as well as presentations by guest speakers who are practitioner experts in the field. Class participation is expected and encouraged. Grading will be based on a final paper of no more than 5,000 words (70%) and class participation and attendance (30%).