$2.6 billion
Amount of the settlement by the NCAA and Power Five Conferences (in April 2025), representing compensation denied to college athletes for the use of their names, images, and likenesses (NILs) and for their athletic performances
Our experience includes high-profile matters like the acquisitions of the Pittsburgh Penguins and the Florida Panthers, stadium naming rights deals for NFL, NBA, MLB, NHL, and MLS stadiums, negotiation of multimedia rights agreements for universities in the Power Five Conferences, and representation of Hall of Fame players in all aspects of their talent endorsement, brand protection, and philanthropic formation.
Our multidisciplinary sports team draws on the strengths of lawyers from our entertainment and media, advertising, M&A, litigation, labor and employment, real estate, state tax, and insurance recovery teams.
We have been instrumental in bringing about landmark rulings affecting college and professional sports over the last few years, including a settlement allowing college athletes to be paid. Our lawyers also are equipped to navigate new laws and regulations responding to the explosion of legalized sports betting in the U.S.
While there’s no such thing as a “sure bet,” we anticipate that emerging issues such as the growth of AI in sports technology will lead to a significant rise in both transactions and disputes. We stand prepared to protect you from the risks and to help you exploit the opportunities that abound in today’s new wide world of sports.
We have extensive experience handling all kinds of sports law-related matters, including:
- Ambush marketing surrounding sporting events
- Acquisition of and investment into sports teams, and disposals
- Carriage and distribution of sports programming and other content via broadcast networks and online platforms
- Concession agreements and arrangements for the outsourcing and management of catering and associated stadium facilities
- Contests and sweepstakes
- Gaming and contest rules
- Employment agreements for athletes, coaching staff, and senior executives, and agreements with intermediaries
- Esports
- Financing and construction of new sports stadiums, arenas, and facilities
- Multimedia rights agreements
- Merchandising, retail, and IP licensing agreements
- Naming rights agreements for major sporting venues
- Player transfer agreements
- Sports finance arrangements, including receivables financing
- Social media policies
- Sponsorship, advertising, and licensing agreements
- Sports litigation and dispute resolution
- Sports regulatory compliance
- Talent agreements for TV networks, radio stations, and websites
- Ticketing agreements and hospitality arrangements, including suite license agreements
- University counseling and negotiation for Power Five Conference schools, including those in the Big Ten Conference
