LEGAL ASPECTS OF SPORT – EMPLOYER LIABILITY HAT ASSIGNMENT Purpose This assignment is designed to give students critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary for careers in the sport industry. Students will apply legal principles and policy

LEGAL ASPECTS OF SPORT – EMPLOYER LIABILITY HAT ASSIGNMENT

Purpose

This assignment is designed to give students critical thinking and problem solving skills necessary for careers in the sport industry. Students will apply legal principles and policy concepts to interpret information, draw conclusions, and develop a solution to the legal problem presented.

Skills

• Use critical thinking and problem solving skills to identify, analyze and interpret relevant laws and precedents.
• Use critical thinking and problem solving skills to examine legal issues in a sport context.
• Incorporate legal reasoning and legal analysis to predict legal outcomes and develop managerial responses based on the predicted legal outcomes.

Standards

• COSMA CPC component – Sport Law
• SPAD SLO – Critical Thinking

Process

This assignment involves analyzing legal issues and legal standards and precedents and formulating solutions based on actual issues currently facing sport industry professionals. You will be provided with background information related to a real or simulated scenario in the sport industry. Using the information provided and information from class, your task is to locate and identify the applicable legal standards and policy documents in order to understand the potential legal outcomes. Additionally, you will develop managerial solutions and make policy recommendations to address this potential legal outcome and its impact on the organization. There are four main learning objectives of this assignment.

1.              Identify the Relevant Legal Issues and Legal or Policy Standards

What specific legal/policy issues does the scenario raise for the organization?  Based on these legal/policy issues, what law, rules, precedents, and/or policies are relevant to develop the legal standards by which this controversy will be decided.

2.              Analyze and Apply the Legal Standards to the Facts/Problem

Using legal reasoning, how will the legal standards or policies be applied to our situation, based upon your analysis of the applicable law, rules, precedents, and/or policies.

3.              Reach a Conclusion or Decision Regarding the Predicted Outcome

Explain your predicted legal/policy outcome and discuss what, if any immediate or inevitable impact it may have upon the sport industry and your organization.

4.         Propose Practical Managerial Solutions for the Sport Organization

What significant recommendations would you make based upon your predicted legal/policy outcome and your research into current industry practices. Be specific in terms of how confident you are that the predicted outcome with have an immediate or inevitable impact on the organization and how your proposed solutions will help to avoid or minimize losses; or create competitive advantages for the organization.

Style & Format Guidelines: Your paper must be professional and well-organized.  Use headings and subheading to not only organize your information, but to also provide the reader with a roadmap for your analysis. An appropriate cover page should be included. The written text should be double-spaced in Times New Roman, 12-font, with normal margins. You are required to have at least four references for your research that are properly cited within the body of your paper. You may use your textbook and the articles provided in BB as references. All references should be listed on an APA 7 formatted Reference page (example in BB).

HAT ASSIGNMENT BACKGROUND AND INSTRUCTIONS

Background

On January 15, 2023, University of Georgia Football recruiting analyst Chandler LeCroy was driving a university-leased SUV near the Georgia campus in the Athens, GA area. The other passengers in the car were fellow Georgia football staff Victoria Bowles and two UGA football players: offensive linemen Devin Willcock and Warren McClendon. The group was wrapping up a day that was spend celebrating the UGA football’s national championship victory earlier that week.

In a tragic accident, LeCroy and Willcock were killed when the SUV left the road and crashed into multiple poles, trees, and another vehicle after leaving Toppers International Showbar in Athens. McClendon and Bowles were transported to the hospital with multiple injuries, but both survived the crash. The investigation found that the SUV LeCroy was driving was operating "in a manner consistent with racing shortly after leaving the downtown Athens area." The vehicle that LeCroy was racing was operated by UGA defensive lineman and Philadelphia Eagles 2023 first-round draft pick Jalen Carter.

In the months following the accident, lawsuits were filed by Dave Willcock, Sr., the father of Devin Willcock, and Victoria Bowles against multiple parties: UGA Athletic Association, Chandler LeCroy, Toppers, Jalen Carter, and Sarchione Auto Company (the company that provided Carter his SUV through an NIL deal).

While this is a very complex case involving multiple parties, your assignment will focus on Dave Willcock, Sr.’s lawsuit against the University of Georgia Athletic Association (UGA AA).

Assignment - Part 1

Research and provide a written analysis of the facts of the case and the background for Willcock’s claims against the University of Georgia Athletic Association (UGA AA).  Your research should include information to address the following questions.

·       Section 1 - Summary of Case Facts: Summarize the facts of the accident, to include: parties involved roles and status, circumstances that contributed to the accident, relevant background. (1-2 pages)

·       Section 2 - Liability Analysis: Analyze each area of employer liability and determine, in your opinion based on your knowledge and research, which apply in this situation (1-2 pages minimum):

o   Vicarious liability - From your textbook (and study notes), what are the two key principles to consider in determining VL? In your opinion, could UGA be held vicariously liable in this situation?  Why or why not?

o   Direct Liability - From your textbook (and study notes), outline the primary questions to determine whether an organization may be held directly liable in the following areas: negligent hiring, negligent retention, negligent supervision.  Based on the facts you found in your research, could UGA be liable for negligent hiring, negligent retention, or negligent supervision (address each).

·       Section 3 - Elements of Negligence Claim and Damages: Address whether the basic requirements of a negligence claim are met: duty, breach of duty, causation, damages.  What amount and type of damages are being sought by Mr. Willcock? (1 page)

Assignment - Part 2

For Part 2, you are to assume the role of an athletic administrator at Big State University, a D-I university at a large, public FBS university in the state of Georgia.   Based on what you learned from researching and analyzing the UGA case, you have been tasked with drafting a policy to outline the use of University-leased or owned vehicles by athletic department employees. This document should address areas that were deficient in opening up the UGA AA to potential liability in the LeCroy case. You may use bullet points to outline the components of the policy following a 2-3 paragraph introduction of the policy.

EMPLOYER LIABILITY CASE STUDY – HALLMARK ASSESSMENT RUBRIC – S24 (60 points)