Alternative Dispute Resolution in Sport: A Conceptual Approach

Alternative dispute resolution (ADR) is an integral part of the sport industry. It allows leagues, teams, and players to resolve disputes that arise without using litigation. It is essential for people who work within sports to understand the value of ADR. The purpose of this article is to provide an extensive overview of ADR as it relates to sport. This article takes a conceptual approach in addressing the many aspects of ADR. The two major applications of ADR, arbitration and mediation, are discussed, with a focus towards arbitration. In order to properly utilize ADR one must understand the statutes and cases that give it power. Therefore, federal and international laws, along with the cases that define ADR are discussed. Additionally, this article will examine the benefits of ADR, what distinguishes mediation from arbitration, the arbitration process, how ADR is applied to amateur sports, how the Olympics and international sport community employ ADR, how U.S. professional sports utilize ADR, and how new emerging hybrid forms of ADR are applied to sport-related disputes. In order to illustrate these concepts, recent sport examples are presented.

Alternative Dispute Resolution in Sport: A Conceptual Approach Academic Article