Esports and the Law: A Game Plan for Business and Legal Trends

Dr. Thomas A. Baker III is a tenured Professor of Sport Law at the International Center for Sport Management (ICSM), University of Georgia. He is also the Editor-in-chief for the Journal of Legal Aspects of Sport (JLAS), the only peer-reviewed sport law journal in the United States and a contributor to Forbes on subjects related to sports law. Dr. Baker's research primarily focuses on the application of law to sport and within that focus he specializes in how commercial laws influence sport, such as legal issues concerning brand image/management and the regulation of marketing through advertisements and social media. He also conducts injury prevention research that focuses on the risk of sexual violence in sports, with a particular focus on methods for preventing violence against children.

Dr. Baker has more than 60 scholarly publications and has written extensively on the influence of law on student-athlete regulations. Dr. Baker's research was admitted into evidence in Alston v. NCAA and has been cited by the Kentucky Supreme Court in Jamgotchian v. Kentucky Horse Racing Commission. He also co-authored an amicus curiae brief that was submitted to the Ninth Circuit in O'Bannon v. NCAA on behalf of sport management professors. Dr. Baker received his Ph.D. from the University of Florida where he was a Dr. Charles W. LaPradd Fellow. He earned his J.D. from Loyola University of New Orleans School of Law where he graduated in the top 10% of his class and earned the distinction of William L. Crowe Scholar.

He lives outside of Atlanta, Georgia with his wife Susana.