Sports Law • Risk Management

angela's blog

November 23, 2010: Risk Management Step 3: Control Risks

Once step two of the risk management process is complete as discussed in a previous blog, step three is to determine what to do to control risk. This is the step in which you can make affirmative decisions and take action to protect your assets. After you have identified risks in the previous steps, you must evaluate the likelihood that a risk will occur and the severity of potential harm that may result. Probability and severity may be determined by reviewing prior incident reports, litigation history, or brainstorming the possibilities.

November 18, 2010: Risk Management Step 2: Assess Risks

After working through the time-consuming process of identifying risks to which your organization is exposed, the second step in the risk management process is to assess the risks. This step builds upon the risks that were identified in the first step. Once the risks are identified, the risks must then be classified by how likely the risk may occur and how serious the harm would be if the risk did happen.

November 12, 2010: Risk Management Step 1: Identify Risks

The risk management process can be daunting. The first step in this process, however, is to identify risks to your business. But how should you go about identifying risks to which your organization might be exposed?

For starters, brainstorm with your current employees. Collaboration with your staff can bring new perspective to the risks to your business. Also, observe a competitor’s operations to see how an organization in a similar industry manages its risks. Another option is to review trade magazines and journals to keep up on current issues and trends relevant for your organization. Yet another way to help in identifying risks is to attend professional workshops or educational seminars to learn from experts.

November 7, 2010: NYC Marathon Results & Risk Management Considerations

The results are in for the winners of the ING New York City Marathon. Edna Kiplagat of Kenya won the women’s division in 2:28:20 and Gebre Gebremariam of Ethiopia won overall in a time of 2:08:14. Top marathon runners, like Kiplagat and Gebremariam, run over twenty-six miles averaging a mile time that is faster than most can even run a single mile. The impressive speed of these top athletes attracts similarly qualified competitors to the event.

International participation, like that of this year’s NYC Marathon’s winners, has certainly contributed to this event’s popularity and competitive atmosphere. Yet as the popularity and competition has grown since the inaugural NYC Marathon forty years ago, there are certain risk management factors that should be considered by directors of similar growing road races.

October 31, 2010: Halloween Trick? Celebrities and Potential College Recruits Don't Mix

On this Halloween the University of Iowa is not getting a holiday treat, but instead a reminder that celebrities and potential athlete recruits don’t mix. Or at least they shouldn’t mix. Just today the Des Moines Register posted an article about two particular Hollywood celebrities, Ashton Kutcher and Demi Moore, whose involvement in the recruiting process may amount to a NCAA violation at the University of Iowa.

October 21, 2010: Assumption of Risk: T.J. Lavin's BMX Bike Crash

Following a tragic bike accident in Las Vegas last week, T.J. Lavin, a BMX biker, is still in a doctor-induced coma, according to yesterday’s report from People. On a qualifying run at a Las Vegas event, Lavin was unsuccessful in getting his feet back on his pedals and was knocked unconscious after he landed hard on the ground (ESPN Action Sports, Oct. 18, 2010). The risk associated with sport is what makes an activity exciting and challenging, but risk can be frightening for the host of a competition.