Varriale-Barker, Levine Are Among Those Speaking on ‘When the Game Turns Toxic: Confronting Social Media Harassment in Sports’
Carla Varriale-Barker, Chair of the Sports, Recreation and Entertainment Practice Group at Segal McCambridge, and Jeffrey Levine, Associate Clinical Professor in Department of Sport Business at Drexel University, are among those who will be speaking at the annual ABA Sports and Entertainment Forum in Las Vegas on October 23-25, 2025.
Varriale-Barker and Levine will be joined on an October 25 panel addressing “When the Game Turns Toxic: Confronting Social Media Harassment in Sports” by Lindsay Brandon, Director, Women’s Tennis Association Director, and Jonathan Hirschler, CEO, Signify AI.
The panel is described as follows: “Athletes, officials, and sports professionals are increasingly targeted by online abuse—from thinly veiled threats and harassment to defamation and discrimination. Whether driven by sports betting losses, fan frustration, or broader societal issues, the impact on mental health, performance, and safety is significant. This panel will explore the legal, regulatory, and organizational tools available to respond to online abuse in sports, including platform accountability, player protection policies, and evolving legislation, and the shared responsibility of leagues, tech companies, and law enforcement to create safer digital spaces in the sports world.”
Attorneys can register for the event at: https://events.americanbar.org/event/9fcffe4e-728c-4cdf-87ee-cb30c0ae8ecf/regProcessStep1