Sports Law Matters

Although not a sports agent, my practice includes the representation of investors, franchises, athletes, and third parties in their dealings with sport franchises and athletes. These services include a wide array of matters, such as:

Marketing, branding, and advertising arrangements for franchises and athletes

Merchandising arrangements for franchises and athletes.

Structuring franchise entities, and investments in, and other financial arrangements relating to, capitalization and funding of franchises in compliance with applicable securities laws

Endorsements by athletes

Rights of publicity

Advising clients with respect to copyright and trademark matters

Advising franchises with respect to various arrangements with entertainment and other content providers, including

Entity structuring for athletes

Arrangements between athletes and various professionals who will assist the athletes in his or her career

Compliance with the applicable rules and regulations of the applicable sports league in which the franchise and athlete compete

Distribution agreements for sporting events and related content

This representation includes, among other things, preparing and negotiating:

Naming rights agreements for arenas and other venues

Sponsorship agreements

Entity formation and governance documents

Investment documents with investors and financing document with financial institutions

Agent agreements between athletes and sport agencies

Agreements between athletes and other providers of professional services to athletes

Merchandise agreements

Celebrity endorsement and adverting agreements

Talent agent agreements for other entertainment projects involving athletes (music, film, television, literature, theater, internet/digital media, etc.)

Sports distribution agreements with content providers

In additional to these specific agreements, I also represent athletes and professionals who work with them in the preparation and negotiation of contractual business arrangements that are generally applicable in connection with the representation of an athlete and which are similar to those for non-athlete artists and performers. These are described in greater detail at Agreements with Artists and Advisors.

As part of my practice, I have actively negotiated and prepared equity investment documents for a start-up NHL hockey franchise, and have recently negotiated an arena naming rights agreement with a professional hockey team. I also have negotiated and prepared sponsorship agreements for various car racing and monster truck teams.