‘Baseball Rule’ Survives Case Involving Atlanta Braves, Published in Professional Sports and the Law

In the article “‘Baseball Rule’ Survives Case Involving Atlanta Braves,” published in the September–October 2025 issue of Professional Sports and the Law, Carla Varriale-Barker examines the Georgia Court of Appeals’ decision in Norris v. Atlanta Braves, Inc. and its implications for the long-standing “Baseball Rule.”

The piece explores how the court reinstated a spectator injury lawsuit arising from a ball thrown into the stands during a World Series game and why the ruling does not signal the end of the “Baseball Rule,” which has historically limited stadium liability for fan injuries. Carla analyzes the procedural nuances of the decision, the interplay between assumption of risk and premises liability, and how future courts may interpret similar claims as sports venues face evolving standards of safety and fan engagement.

“The reports of the ‘Baseball Rule’s’ demise are premature,” Carla writes, emphasizing that while the case reopens the discussion around spectator safety, the traditional protections afforded to stadiums remain intact—at least for now.

Read the full article here: https://bit.ly/4hV6ZHe (subscriber-based)