USA Today’s latest study released today on college coaches’ compensation reveals that at least 25 college head football coaches are making $2 million or more this season, which is slightly more than double the number two years ago, and the average pay for a head coach in the 120-school Football Bowl Subdivision is up 28% in that time and up 46% in three years, to $1.36 million. Two weeks ago, the Knight Commission released its survey of bowl-subdivision university presidents in which 85% of the respondents said they felt football and basketball coaches’ compensation “was excessive” as well as “a key contributor to the (fiscal) ‘arms race’ in intercollegiate athletics” and “the greatest impediment to sustainability.”

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After posting last week about Buster Olneys article and comments about arbitration-eligible players and free agents, the Twins traded Carlos Gomez to the Brewers for J.J. Hardy; the Red Sox traded Jose Alvarez and Hunter Jones to the Marlins for Jeremy Hermida; and the White Sox acquired Mark Teahen for Chris Getz and Josh Fields. Olney posted a column on his ESPN.com site (Hermidas Move Sure to be Replicated – 11-6-2009) supporting his earlier comments while noting that the Royals are looking to slash $10-$13 million from their payroll and peddling Teahen is a start. Teahen settled with the Royals last year at $3,575,000 after an exchange of figures ($3,050,000 – $3,850,000). Teahen was in a select group of five of the 46 players who exchanged numbers to negotiate a figure above the midpoint. As a Super Two in 2008, Teahen was able to negotiate a $2,337,500 deal that year. Apparently the Royals will contribute $1,000,000 towards Teahens 2010 salary. Fields and Getz have quite awhile before they become arbitration-eligible.

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Over on the American Lawyer Daily, Zach Lowe has a good piece on the legal fallout of the Phoenix Coyotes likely sale to the NHL. He interviews me for his story, and I tie-in the American Needle case. Here’s an excerpt:
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As a follow up to Nathaniels post on the Star Caps hearing, the written testimony of all of the witnesses and the video of the hearing can be found here (note that the testimony from the witnesses does not begin until about the 1:26:48 mark).

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A Congressional hearing was held today regarding whether to amend the Labor Management Relations Act in order to protect professional sports leagues’ performance enhancing drug policies from being attacked under state law. The hearing was held in response to the 8th Circuit’s recent decision in Williams v. NFL (i.e., the “StarCaps” case), and featured testimony from NFL commissioner Roger Goodell, NFLPA executive director DeMaurice Smith, Rob Manfred, Major League Baseball’s executive vice president of labor relations, and Michael Weiner, the MLBPA’s general counsel. Sports Law Blog’s Gabe Feldman is quoted in the New York Times’ report on the hearing. Meanwhile, Paul Secunda, a professor at the Marquette University Law School, has posted some thoughts regarding the hearing and the Williams case over at PrawfsBlawg.

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The U.S. Supreme Court released its January calendar today, and announced that American Needle v. NFL will be heard on Wednesday, January 13, 2010 (h/t Ryan Rodenberg of Legal Aspects of Sports Blog). For past Sports Law Blog coverage on the case, click here. For links to various amicus briefs and other court materials, click here.

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