Launching a new league or team in the sports industry is a complex matter, and requires trusted counselors and partners to navigate through the various legal issues that arise. Our firm’s platform, depth of experience, and holistic view of the sports industry offers clients practical, efficient advice for new sports organizations.
Emerging teams and leagues turn to our global Sports Industry team as trusted advisors as they break into the market and establish themselves. Our lawyers have extensive experience and draw upon the multidisciplinary strength of our firm’s platform to guide new sports teams and leagues through all phases of growth in this rapidly expanding industry, from the initial stages of entity formation to assisting with the development of growth and expansion plans once the venture has been established. We have experience in organizing and structuring entities in both the single-entity and franchisee models, and regularly counsel client on the pros and cons of each approach.
Raising capital is one of the most important–and necessary–goals of a new team or league, and our lawyers can help with financing, capital offerings, shareholders agreements, convertible notes, and debt offerings. Another priority for newly-established teams and leagues is reviewing real estate and facility ownership needs. Our lawyers harness a vast knowledge of opportunity zones and other tax incentives to help clients secure the best option financially for their facility or stadium.
We help emerging teams and leagues draft and negotiate a broad range of contractual agreements, including player and coach contracts, sponsorship and naming rights agreements, suite licenses, venue use agreements, apparel contracts, broadcast and media rights deals, and other strategic collaboration agreement.
We also help emerging leagues or teams with intellectual property, data privacy, immigration, and labor and employment matters – all critical issues that face new organizations.
Although still in their infancy, a growing number of recently-filed lawsuits associated with generative artificial intelligence (AI) training practices, products, and services have provided a meaningful first look into how US courts may address the privacy, consumer safety, and intellectual property protection concerns that have been raised by this new, and inherently evolving, technology.
Effective 27 June 2023, the Pregnant Workers Fairness Act (PWFA) is a new law that closes a gap in coverage under federal law for pregnant and postpartum workers and applicants.
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