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NLJ this week: The rise (& rise) of e-sports

10 September 2020
Issue: 7901 / Categories: Legal News , Sports litigation
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E-sports is the next frontier in sports law, an industry worth US$1.5bn in the US and growing, write Hailsham Chambers barrister Theo Barclay & RISQ financial analyst Harry Burley in this week’s NLJ

‘The courts in England and Wales are yet to deal with substantive e-sports claims but the fast-growing nature of the industry and the commercial naivety of many participants means this will not be the case for long,’ Barclay & Burley write.

In a fascinating article, they cover some of the opportunities and challenges in this field for sports litigators.  

In a sign of the fast-growing popularity of the industry, broadcasters such as Sky Sports are venturing into the market, although most live gameplay is currently broadcast on YouTube, Facebook or Twitch.

In 2017 106 million fans streamed the League of Legends tournament—more people than watched the Superbowl that year.

Potential disputes could involve contracts, employment rights, intellectual property, sponsorship, advertising and match-fixing.

Issue: 7901 / Categories: Legal News , Sports litigation
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MOVERS & SHAKERS

Birketts—trainee cohort

Birketts—trainee cohort

Firm welcomes new cohort of 29 trainee solicitors for 2025

Keoghs—four appointments

Keoghs—four appointments

Four partner hires expand legal expertise in Scotland and Northern Ireland

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Brabners—Ben Lamb

Real estate team in Yorkshire welcomes new partner

NEWS
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From oligarchs to cosmetic clinics, strategic lawsuits against public participation (SLAPPs) target journalists, activists and ordinary citizens with intimidating legal tactics. Writing in NLJ this week, Sadie Whittam of Lancaster University explores the weaponisation of litigation to silence critics
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Writing in NLJ this week, Thomas Rothwell and Kavish Shah of Falcon Chambers unpack the surprise inclusion of a ban on upwards-only rent reviews in the English Devolution and Community Empowerment Bill
Charles Pigott of Mills & Reeve charts the turbulent progress of the Employment Rights Bill through the House of Lords, in this week's NLJ
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