Partner at Venable LLP | IP Attorney | NIL | Sports Law | Former ATP Pro and D1 🎾 for @StanfordTennis | LDS
California, USA
Joined February 2020
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Youth tennis participation is up 72% since 2019, yet college tennis is facing some of the deepest program and roster cuts due to the House settlement. At a time when demand for collegiate opportunities should be growing, universities are eliminating them. Meanwhile the money flowing into college football and basketball will increasingly drive kids and parents toward those sports, further reducing the pipeline for American tennis. 72%! Will be interesting to see this same study done in a few years measuring youth tennis participation following House settlement.
Tennis and golf programs should be a big part of college athletics for at least the next decade. Every Board of Regents should be made aware of this and the future of University sports needs to include these sports . @ITA_Tennis @usta @USGA
I’m all for change and doing what’s best for the sport and student-athletes, and I generally agree with Coach here. But at least some of the opposition stems from concerns about the long-term viability of men’s soccer. What happens if schools decide to drop men’s soccer because of increased costs and competition for spring facilities and personnel? We saw this happen in my own sport, tennis, where schools took out the chainsaw in the wake of the House settlement and eliminated programs with little regard for the student-athletes or tennis community. In trying to improve the experience for today’s players, we need to make sure we protect opportunities for tomorrow’s.
Gracelyn Laudermilch submitted a letter to Judge Wilken yesterday describing the human cost of roster limits and how the promised protections of DSA status have proved illusory for her and many others. Many of you will remember Gracelyn as one of the faces of the athletes fighting to keep their roster spots. Now, she writes that she has lost hers at Liberty—even with DSA status. I’m truly saddened by this. I’ve gotten to know Gracelyn, and she is an incredible young woman and a leader who has stood up for countless athletes beyond herself. Any track programs out there should consider reaching out to her. She has so much to offer, on and off the track.
Philip Sheng retweeted
From one of the foster kids @Goods4Greatness helped. It always makes my heart happy.
Sent my youngest daughter to BYU last week. It was bittersweet. Now that she gets 5 years of eligibility, she decided to graduate high school a year early to start her D1 tennis journey early.
Philip Sheng retweeted
The University of Kansas just raised tuition by another 5%.
Some of that money will be going into the pockets of KU athletes.
Fair? Of course it isn't...
Meanwhile, KU faces a $15M deficit, has already slashed staff, and pays its faculty some of the lowest wages in the nation—yet they’re still funneling money from the general fund, student tuition, and state taxpayers directly into athlete payroll.
Insane.
My daughter Sephi decided to graduate high school early and reclass to 2026. She’ll be joining BYU this fall! Go Cougs!
Philip Sheng retweeted
I'm (obviously) no fan of the NCAA and you'll never see me cape for them... but this Sorsby ruling is a joke. Admitted, repeated, egregious violations of one of the few reasonable NCAA rules limiting eligibility and the court grants an injunction anyway?
Go Card! Huge win for Nishesh.
HE'S DONE IT! 🌲
It's a top-10 win at @rolandgarros in the French Open for Nishesh Basavareddy!
#GoStanford
I’m certain this is not unique to Louisville.
Philip Sheng retweeted
I’m not sure Brendan Sorsby is going to get very far by explaining his behavior using the same rationale that gang members use for committing gang-related crimes. But I guess it’s worth a try. 🤷🏻♂️
NEW: Brendan Sorsby bet on Indiana Football in 2022 to feel more 'connected with the team,' per his affidavit in court documents.
"I rationalized placing those bets as a way to feel more connected to the team, to root for my friends, and to feel like I had a real 'stake' in the games that I otherwise was not involved in."
He later added: "Because the Indiana football team was not a very strong competitor in 2022, I lost most of the bets I placed."
on3.com/news/texas-tech-qb-b…
Great to hear and hope the university is able to provide the support necessary to keep these tennis programs going forever. Relying solely on donors is not sustainable.
Philip Sheng retweeted
If you were curious as to how college athletes ‘earn’ their payments from multimedia rights companies for a signed deal (aside from rev-share)
Here is an example, from the arbitration case with Nebraska
$7.5 million in deals with Nebraska’s MMR
Philip Sheng retweeted
Huge win for the CSC that either brings lawsuits challenging the system or greatly reduces the types of NIL that can be offered to athletes.
Philip Sheng retweeted
This was the 1st big test in arbitration and the CSC had to win it. This would have destroyed the CSC’s authority under the House settlement and opened the floodgates for schools to pay whatever they want. The ‘valid business purpose’ policy would have been thrown out overnight.
Shout out to @charlotte_tuhy on her commitment to playing basketball at @StanfordWBB! It was an honor to be part of team Tuhy. Welcome to the Stanford family. Go Card!
