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Steven Bank

@profbank.bsky.social

660 followers 300 following 210 posts

Professor of Law at UCLA. Posts are primarily about sports law, but may be about tax or corporate law. Posts are not legal advice

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Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · 22d

Corporate tax revenue in the 1950s, well before the LLC started in 1977 or check-the-box in 1997, was much higher as a percentage of GDP than it is today. Of course, corporate tax rates were also higher.

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Aug 13

Sounds like you’re talking about D3 college soccer preseason training

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Aug 11

It's possible US Soccer already agreed to sanction future matches between int'l teams as part of the settlement of the Relevent Sports lawsuit back in April, assuming the parties met all safety, bonding, fees, and other normal sanctioning requirements.

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Aug 11

This is the first test of FIFA's removal of its restriction on playing domestic league matches in other countries in settlement of an antitrust suit filed by Relevent Sports. In theory, US Soccer could still refuse to sanction it, but it can't hide behind FIFA policy to do so.

The Athletic | Football @theathleticfc.bsky.social · Aug 11

The Spanish Football Federation has approved the request for December’s La Liga fixture between Villarreal and Barcelona be played in Miami.

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Aug 8

The IRS will have had more commissioners in 2025 (7, so far, counting interims and actings) than the Cleveland Browns have had quarterbacks (6).

Reuters @reuters.com · Aug 8

Trump to remove Billy Long as IRS commissioner, Bessent named acting head, NYT reports reut.rs/45GOlya

Trump to remove Billy Long as IRS commissioner, Bessent named acting head, NYT reports

U.S. President Donald Trump is removing Billy Long as the commissioner of the Internal Revenue Service, the New York Times reported on Friday, citing four people familiar with the matter.

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 24

I’m pretty sure every season ticket holder in MLS gets MLS season pass as part of their season ticket package. That’s a lot of people, but not anywhere close to 120K between the two teams playing. So, there are still a lot of viewers who aren’t also season ticket holders of the teams playing

Sam McFarlane @sammc.bsky.social · Jul 24

as part of this 120k/match, my viewership is:
1) Charlotte FC away matches
2) MLS360 after Charlotte FC home games, which is mostly Western Conference / 'MLS After Dark'

my subscription is part of the season ticket, and i'm not sure how many other teams include it in their ST package

Phil West @philwest.bsky.social · Jul 23

Garber says on Apple TV, MLS is averaging 120k viewers per match

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

It's possible that the petitioner is hoping for a quick settlement or wants to disrupt the licensing deal for the new team (perhaps claiming that the deal was struck because of its activity in restarting a league for NASL-branded teams). Too early to tell. 9/9

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

Moreover, with the announcement of a licensing deal for the trademark to a new USL League 1 team, there's an argument that they resumed using the IP for a soccer team right after the jury verdict was rendered in the NASL litigation (where an appeal is currently pending). We'll see. 8/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

It seems like there's at least a plausible argument against abandonment given that Cosmos officials have been in court for years arguing US Soccer/MLS were preventing them from operating their league/team in a commercially viable manner. 7/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

I can't speak to the legitimacy of the allegations, but it will be interesting to see how the NASL litigation factored into claims of non-use even apart from sales of apparel. 6/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

The conventional wisdom is that a petition for cancellation proceeding will take 2-3 years from start to finish. The petition is currently suspended while the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board considers the motion to dismiss. 5/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

The Cosmos also has a (snarky) response on the substance of the non-use claim - basically saying an internet search would show they are using it - but it's in a footnote because the motion to dismiss is on a procedural ground and so the motion wouldn't be decided on the substance 4/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

The Cosmos' argument is that the petitioner doesn't really have any connection or claim to the trademark. They just say they believe they will be harmed if they ever start a competition and actually use the NASL team trademarks 3/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

The Cosmos filed a motion to dismiss on the grounds that the petitioner lack standing - i.e., connection to the case and an allegation of harm 2/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 18

Something called "Football is for the Fans, Inc." filed a petition with the US Patent & Trademark Office to cancel the Cosmos trademark on a variety of grounds relating to non-use. It contends it would like to "deliver football competitions" honoring the legacy of NASL clubs such as the Cosmos 1/

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jul 10

Although as @jeffrueter.bsky.social reports, Rocco Commisso has sold the Cosmos IP/team ownership to a new ownership group, NASL, presumably still funded by Commisso, continues its antitrust lawsuit against US Soccer. It filed an appeal of a jury verdict for the defense and its brief is due 8/21

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 29

Sounds like the so-called "Bracero" program used from the 1940s through the early 1960s until it was shut down in large part because it allowed employers to exploit workers in a form of indefinite indentured servitude

Aaron Rupar @atrupar.com · Jun 29

Trump on undocumented immigrants: "We're working on it right now. We're gonna work it so that -- some kind of a temporary pass where people pay taxes, where the farmer can have a little control as opposed to you walk in and take everybody away. But the criminals are going out of this country."

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 26

Enjoyed speaking with @socceramerica.bsky.social on the effects of the House settlement on college soccer players.
www.socceramerica.com/house-ncaa-s...

Professor Steven Bank on college soccer's future in the wake of the House v. NCAA settlement - Soccer America

With the "House v. NCAA" settlement sparking uncertainty about the future of college soccer, we're checking in with Steven Bank, Professor of Business Law at the UCLA School of Law. Bank is also an av...

www.socceramerica.com

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 10

FIFA has far more power/$, which gives USSF's Pro League Standards more influence, including on pipeline leagues like MLS Next + USL2 that could impact college players. Most other NGBs lack power (especially over US pro leagues) or money or both

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 10

My guess is that at a minimum lower division soccer championship tournaments are at risk in a post-House Settlement world, but if fees increased (whether to the NCAA or to USSF), many cash-strapped small schools, which are the bulk of DII/DIII/NAIA/Juco, would cut soccer entirely

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 10

An issue US Soccer should also be considering is the impact of college soccer reform - especially one that moves away from the NCAA - on DII, DIII, NAIA, Juco. This committee appears to represent the pro/DI perspective, but there are far more varsity college soccer players beyond that

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 10

Soccer has been the most proactive non-revenue college sport in addressing how it fits in - or needs to opt out of - the post-House settlement NCAA. That's partly b/c U.S. Soccer is unique among US sports governing bodies in being structured to oversee all levels of the sport

Jeff Kassouf @jeffkassouf.bsky.social · Jun 10

U.S. Soccer has formed a committee to evaluate the future of college soccer. Potential solutions could be implemented as early as 2026, and could be different for men's + women's games. It's another chapter in the long quest to overhaul NCAA soccer. Details are TBD, but USSF involvement is notable.

U.S. Soccer committee to evaluate college system

U.S. Soccer announced on Tuesday a committee that will evaluate and potentially overhaul the college soccer system.

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 9

The European Super League litigation continues. Spain's competition law authority is investigating UEFA for its agreements with top clubs "to prevent them from organizing or participating in European competitions other than their own." www.law360.com/publicpolicy...

European Soccer Org. Under Fire For Stifling 'Super League' - Law360

Spain's competition watchdog opened an investigation into European soccer's governing body on Friday, focusing on a series of agreements it struck with top flight clubs to prevent them from joining th...

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 9

And NCAA DI Men's Soccer may now be the least stable unsanctioned professional soccer league in the world, with many schools considering opting out of revenue share, dropping the sport to club status, or reclassifying to a lower division if permitted by the NCAA.

Andrew Visnovsky @soccerlawyer.bsky.social · Jun 8

With the House Settlement, the NCAA Divison I Soccer is now the largest unsanctioned professional soccer league in the world.

Steven Bank @profbank.bsky.social · Jun 7

Here we go . . .

John Parker @johnkickback.bsky.social · Jun 7

The House Settlement, I think, would open up a world for college soccer teams to also be lower division soccer teams, which would be insanely cool and good for soccer. Mostly just insanely cool.