Sports Law Society connects contracts and catches
Breaking into the sports industry can feel like trying to score a touchdown without a ball. Rice’s sports management program, ranked #1 in the country by Niche, offers a specialization in sports law that allows undergraduates to explore the legal side of the field.
The Rice Sports Law Society, founded by Maya Moise and Kai Cowin, aims to provide a platform for students interested in the intersection of law and sports. The club’s objective is to bridge the gap between theoretical legal knowledge and practical experience in the sports industry.
Both Moise and Cowin said their interest in sports law was born out of their experience in an introductory sports law class.
“Kai and I come from different backgrounds and majors, but taking that class sparked our interest in the field,” said Moise, a Jones College junior. “We immediately thought, ‘Okay, what’s next? How can we get more involved?’”
Moise said they considered how they could give back to the community, taking into account things that would have been beneficial for themselves when they were freshmen and sophomores.
“We both felt that sports law within the legal industry is very gatekept,” Moise said. “There aren’t many opportunities and resources, especially at Rice, for students looking to get involved in the legal side of the sports industry.”
Moise and Cowin said students hoping to enter the legal field are advised to get good grades, take the LSAT and apply to law school. The problem is that a career in sports law is more nuanced than most realize, Cowin said.
“A lot of people have heard about sports law and how it intersects with various industries, but they don’t truly understand the day-to-day operations because they’re very different from what most expect,” said Cowin, a Hanszen College senior.
The Rice Sports Law Society aims to give students a hands-on introduction to the sports law industry, helping them decide if it’s something they’d like to pursue in the long term, they said.
“Sports law covers a wide range of areas, such as contracts, labor, compliance, agency and front-office operations,” Moise said.
Moise and Cowin want the organization to guide students, as they explore these subfields.
“Our goal is to create a space where if you’re interested in becoming a sports agent … we can get you experience and hands-on work to prepare you for a specialized career,” Cowin said. “If you’re too generalized, you won’t have the depth of understanding to thrive as someone who’s worked hands-on with detailed, specialized knowledge.”
Currently, Cowin is researching the relationship between Name, Image and Likeness deals and Title IX policies. Moise has done work on the NCAA’s settlement allowing athletes to be compensated in NIL deals, focusing on the 22% salary cap that limits athletes’ salaries.
“Our goal is to raise awareness about Rice’s presence in the sports law field,” Moise said. “This has started to attract attention, but we don’t want it to just be me and Kai competing — we want other Rice students to join us.”
Moise and Cowin say they hope to spearhead a mentorship program for sports law students.
“We’re working on launching an initiative like ‘Hoots and Suits,’ which is part of [the] ‘Legal Nest’ program,” Cowin said. “The goal is to connect students with law professionals — whether it’s law students … or practicing lawyers in the area, from junior associates to partners.”
Owen Marye, a sports management student interested in a sports law specialization, said he’s excited for the new opportunities the sports law society may bring.
“I chose sports law because I had a pre-established interest in law, as my father is an attorney,” Marye wrote in a message to the Thresher. “His work inspired me to pursue the law side of sports, and I’ve always been interested in sports, so it felt natural.
“I’d like to see more specialization in the subjects we study,” Marye, a Wiess College sophomore, continued. “There’s one singular sports law class, not counting the advanced section, so adding some classes focused on something like sports negotiation would be something I’d like to see in the future … The program has the potential to give us even more visibility and improve our standing as not just a sports management school, but a sports law school.”
Ultimately, that’s the vision Cowin and Moise have for their club, they said.
“Our goal is to invest in students in a deeply personalized way. If a student comes to us and says, ‘I want to be a sports agent, but I’ve been rejected from multiple internships,’ Kai and I can say, ‘Let’s figure out how we can help you move forward,’” Moise said.
More from The Rice Thresher
May your costume trick or tr(eat) at Hanszen Halloween
It’s time to make a public appearance, and Hanszen College’s Halloween public, or Halloweekend pt. 2, is just the place to do it. March can be just as frightening as October was, and not just because of midterms. If you’ve already donated, recycled or sold your Halloween costume for parts on Depop, we’ve got your back.
‘Collateral damage’: Houston’s top horn musician allegedly harassed Rice students for decades. And the school knew.
Rice University’s famed horn professor William VerMeulen abruptly retired last spring amid a swirl of sexual misconduct allegations. But dozens of students and industry insiders say “the administration has known for 30 years” — and failed to act.
Senior Spotlight: Bayzhan Mukatay on kidney matching, community
Whether it’s organ donation, neural connections or Rice’s exam scheduling, where most see a problem, Bayzhan Mukatay sees a solution. At least, using math, he sees a way to try.
Please note All comments are eligible for publication by The Rice Thresher.