Sport Law case study
IV. Case Study I (30 points) Samuel won a radio station contest and received, among other things, two (2) tickets to attend an Atlanta Hawks game of his choice. He chose to attend the Hawks vs. Lakers game at State Farm Arena. It is late in the third quarter and Samuel decides to buy some more beers before the concession stands stop selling alcohol. It is 2-for-1 night and Samuel has already consumed four (4) 12-ounce promo beers without food since mid-way through the second quarter. While on the way back to his seat with his libations, Samuel passes a door on the concourse that is cracked open. The door is clearly marked "Danger: Authorized Personnel Only". Although the room is dark, Samuel can see the glare of the concourse lights reflecting off some trophies near the entrance. Seeing no security or other official personnel, he decides to enter the room and closes the door behind him. As Samuel is running his hand against the wall to try and find a light switch, he trips over a basketball causing him to fall into a box of trophies and glass frames. He receives a broken arm, several bruises, and facial lacerations, later requiring stiches. Worse yet, he spills his beers - ruining several print items related to Hawks legends Dominique Wilkins and Spud Webb. Samuel hires the law firm Dewey, Cheatham, & Howe and sues the Atlanta Hawks; Arena Operations, LLC (the venue management company); Atlanta Spirit, LLC (the owners of State Farm Arena); Levy Restaurants, Inc. (the concessions contractor); and the NBA for negligence leading to his injuries. Use the above fact pattern and your notes to respond to the questions [A-F] below. A. In the scenario above, what category of premise user is Samuel? (4 pts) B. Is the NBA a proper defendant in this hypothetical? Why or why not? (4 pts) C. What are the specific elements of negligence will Samuel have to prove for a judge/jury to find in his favor? (8 pts) D. What area of law does the case against Levy Restaurants potentially involve (i.e., what is the specific term)? (5 pts) E. Utilizing your expert skills and knowledge, provide the best possible defense for the Defendants from a claim of negligence in the above scenario. (5 points). F. Suppose that the City of Atlanta is the owner/operator of State Farm Arena and is listed among the defendants. Per class discussions of similar hypotheticals, what would be the best possible defense for the City in the above action? (4 pts)
