Music publishers' lawsuits against NBA teams over copyright infringement are experiencing significant discovery delays, with proceedings likely to be extended by several months.

The lawsuits, filed by publishers including Kobalt last summer, allege unauthorized use of protected music in social media videos. While technically separate cases, the publishers are seeking to consolidate 13 remaining suits due to overlapping allegations. The Atlanta Hawks are reportedly near settlement.

Recent developments include:

• Portland Trail Blazers and publishers requesting a 60-day discovery extension (from February to April)
• Third-party discovery disputes with TuneSat in the Orlando Magic case affecting overall proceedings
• TuneSat challenging the Orlando Magic's extensive information requests about digital fingerprinting, URL downloads, and social media searches
• Judge approving discovery delay in the Blazers case, with a new scheduling order due by January 10th

These cases could significantly impact how brands approach licensing for video content moving forward. Similar actions are occurring in other sports leagues, with Associated Production Music pursuing infringement claims against the American Hockey League and several teams, though some settlements have been reached.

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