MLB Could Start In July, Marketing Agency Accuses Zion, Family And Duke Of Violations
BASEBALL
Major League Baseball approved a proposal to start the season in early July and will feature an expected 82-game regular season. Commissioner Rob Manfred will present the plan to the players, and then the League and the Players Association will negotiate. The negotiations could get tense, as the owners would like a plan that includes a 50-50 revenue split with the players. MLB is the only uncapped team sport in the U.S., so this plan would essentially simulate a salary cap. For more information on the new plan, click here.
BASKETBALL
New Orleans Pelicans Zion Williamson’s former marketing agency, Prime Sports Marketing, filed a civil lawsuit against Zion claiming he and his family received gifts from Nike and Adidas before he enrolled at Duke to influence him to play at the University. Prime Sports Marketing signed Zion after his first year at Duke but then was dropped for another agency in Zion’s second season. Zion is now being asked to admit his mother and father “demanded and received gifts, money and/or other benefits from persons acting on behalf of Duke University (directly and/or indirectly) to influence you to attend Duke University to play basketball.” It is still unclear whether Zion, his family, and Duke are at fault or if Prime Sports Marketing is just bitter about losing out on such a profitable player.
