Mel Narol Suffers Fatal Heart Attack

(RACINE, Wis.) — Mel Narol, 51, longtime friend and advisor to the National Association of Sports Officials (NASO) died June 3 of massive heart failure at his office in Princeton, New Jersey.

More than 20 years ago Narol combined his love of sports officiating with the practice of law. After 15 years as a referee, he retired from officiating to devote himself to the rapidly growing area of sports law.

Narol was one of the foremost authorities on sports law having published more than 200 professional journal, magazine and newspaper sports law articles and has been cited by courts and other sports law experts.

Narol has been featured in newspapers and on television and radio shows around the country. He served as trustee chair of the NASO Foundation, was a former chair of NASO and member of the board of directors as well as special advisor for many years. He also served on the editorial boards of the Seton Hall Sports Law Journal and the New Jersey Lawyer and was a law columnist for Referee and Athletics Administration magazines. A member of the National Speakers Association, he was a frequent speaker to civic, sports, business, law, university and educational groups across the United States.

Narol represented and provided legal counsel for game officials, educational institutions, participants, coaches, athletic administrators, insurance companies and sports organizations around the country.

His broad-based sports law practice involved injury, contract and business litigation; sponsorship, television and licensing contracts; NCAA regulation of athletes and institutions; and business, insurance and risk management advice. He counseled numerous sports associations and organizations providing them positive ways to meet broadening legal responsibilities.

Narol’s service to NASO is extensive. In addition to the numerous columns he wrote for Referee magazine and the thousands of hours of consultation management issues during his years of service on the board, Narol drafted the original model legislation designed to protect sports officials from physical assaults. Today 16 states have enacted legislation based on that model.

In a recent interview Narol talked about his involvement with the issue. "I am very proud of my involvement because even though we still hear about assaults on officials, we have heightened the awareness about this whole issue. Back in the 1980s officials would not come forward because they were fearful if they complained about being assaulted that they would not be assigned any more games. We have raised that consciousness to where officials now think of themselves, and rightly so, as professionals."

Narol is survived by his wife Dale and a daughter Kimberly. Funeral arrangements are pending.