K&C Sports & Entertainment Law Weekly Roundup - May 2026

Sports:

• Major League Baseball's San Diego Padres announced that control of the franchise will be passed to an ownership group led by investor couple Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano, a few months after the family of the team's late owner largely resolved an internal dispute over control of the team. San Diego Padres Sale to José E. Feliciano, Kwanza Jones Sets MLB Record | Hypebeast
• The Saudi government's decision to cease funding for LIV Golf is a sea change both for the PGA Tour and the upstart league that once plunged the sport into a legal free-for-all that put the game's power brokers on notice. LIV's legacy: It's impossible to create an alternative sports league in America - AOL
• Callaway Golf Co. asked a California federal court to throw out claims it has run a disparaging smear campaign portraying TaylorMade Golf Co.'s products as poorly performing, calling the suit "a tortured effort to chill competition." TaylorMade Sues Callaway Over Chrome Tour Claims, Alleging False Advertising And A “Mud Ball” Campaign | MyGolfSpy

Entertainment:

TELEVISION & FILM

• The Federal Communications Commission has ordered The Walt Disney Company's ABC to seek early broadcast license renewals for the eight TV stations it owns. The move follows criticism from first lady Melania Trump who objected to a joke about her made by late night comedian Jimmy Kimmel. President Trump followed up with a social media post calling for Kimmel to be fired. Following Kimmel's Melania Trump joke, FCC orders early license renewal for 8 ABC stations : NPR Meanwhile, a group of former FCC chairs, commissioners and senior staffers is asking a Washington court to force a decision about continuing a longstanding FCC policy that allows the regulator to discipline TV station owners over perceived charges of “news distortion.” RTDNA, Former Officials Sue to Force FCC Ruling on News Distortion - Radio World President Trump has stated that ABC is putting itself in “great jeopardy” with late night host Jimmy Kimmel still on its air. Donald Trump hits out at 'low-life' Jimmy Kimmel as ABC puts themselves 'in great jeopardy'
• A DE state judge refused to throw out CA Gov. Gavin Newsom's $787 million defamation claims over Fox News' coverage of his June 6 phone call with President Donald Trump, ruling that Newsom has plausibly alleged that Fox News knew it was making false statements when it made them. Judge allows Newsom’s $787M Fox News defamation suit to proceed
• A TX state appeals court issued a last-minute order pausing The Onion’s move to license the intellectual property of Alex Jones’ Infowars, delaying a planned turnover. Texas appeals court pauses Infowars takeover by The Onion
• Paramount Skydance Corp. was sued in federal court by consumers seeking to block the company’s $110 billion acquisition of Warner Bros. Discovery Inc., alleging the proposed deal will harm competition in the premium video distribution market, lower the quality of national TV news, and lead to fewer theatrical films. Paramount sued by subscribers seeking to block Warner Bros. deal
• Netflix Inc. revived a lower court’s ruling that the streaming giant made fair use of a cameraman’s funeral coverage in its “Tiger King” docuseries as the 10^th Circuit reversed itself —21 months after rehearing the case. Netflix Prevails in ‘Tiger King’ Copyright Case, a Win for ‘Fair Use’ in Documentaries

LAWSUITS OF THE RICH & FAMOUS

• Grammy-award-winning pop star Taylor Swift has filed trademark registrations for her voice, a novel approach to address the proliferation of artificial intelligence-generated content using her voice and likeness. Taylor Swift files trademark applications to protect her voice and image from AI | CNN Business
• Nearly 30 years after the fatal shooting of Tupac Shakur, the rapper's stepbrother has filed a wrongful death lawsuit in Los Angeles County Superior Court against a man about to go on trial for the murder and unidentified others, suggesting that revelations in a recent Netflix documentary implicate Sean Combs in Shakur's murder. Tupac’s family sues over ‘complex conspiracy’ to murder rapper
• The rapper Ye failed to convince a federal judge to push a May 4 copyright trial back four months because of his “tentative concert,” or his counsel’s office move, high school reunion, and commitments in other cases. California Judge Denies Ye’s Bid to Delay Trial Over ‘Donda’ Copyright Claims – Legal News Feed
• Rapper 50 Cent has been hit with a lawsuit in GA federal court by a former executive at his companies, claiming that he threatened and harassed her after she refused to file a police report accusing a bodyguard of theft. Rapper '50 Cent' accused of 'years-long' campaign of retaliation in GA