Our experience helps you game plan in the high-stakes sports industry

The Sports Law Group has the experience, depth, and business acumen to help clients confront challenges, navigate obstacles, and achieve success. Whether a client is a media company seeking to acquire sports content, a corporation engaging a league or team for a sponsorship, a company securing venue naming rights, or a professional athlete seeking to maximize revenue-producing opportunities, the Nelson Mullins Sports Law Group is well equipped to structure and secure a winning result.

We help our clients

• Structure and negotiate venue-naming rights agreements
• Secure and license league and team trademarks for use in regional and national advertising and marketing campaigns
• Protect client brands within sponsorship and promotional relationships
• Negotiate endorsement branding and marketing agreements for both professional athletes and companies
• Counsel clients on FCC and FTC guidelines and compliance
• Advise on proper integration of social media in all advertising
• Advise and negotiate marketing and sponsorship agreements with the PGA Tour and leagues such as the NFL, MLB, NBA, and NHL and their member franchises
• Structure and negotiate consumer product licensing agreements
• Assist in structuring and negotiating event marketing agreements
• Counsel regarding proper usage and protection of copyrights and trademarks
• Structure protections from ambush marketing tactics
• Perform Title IX investigations
• Advise and insure legal compliance related to sweepstakes and contests
• Review and update existing client agreements with current best practices and policies

Clients using our services in the sports industry include

• A global automotive manufacturer
• Healthcare institutions and insurers
• Colleges and universities
• Regional sports networks
• Sports equipment manufacturers
• Professional athletes
• A global consumer electronics company
• Sports technology companies
• An international youth sports training company
• Professional sports agencies and agents
• Professional sports franchises
• Sports fantasy and gaming businesses

Interdisciplinary team to serve your many different needs

Our Sports Law Group includes a diverse group of experienced attorneys who can handle the many different matters that arise in sports law and beyond.  The Group includes attorneys engaged in the following areas of practice

• Sports Law
• Corporate
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Labor and Employment
• Advertising, Licensing, and Sponsorships
• Media
• Technology
• Intellectual Property
• Data Security
• Litigation
• Antitrust
• Title IX
• Tax
• Finance and Lending
• Real Estate

Following is a selected sampling of matters and is provided for informational purposes only. Past success does not indicate the likelihood of success in any future matter.

• Represented a global consumer electronics company, completing negotiations on multi-year national sponsorship agreements with the National Football League and other sponsorship agreements with multiple NFL franchises and several NFL star players
• Negotiated promotional rights agreement with the PGA TOUR on behalf of client expanding its marketing campaign through Asia
• Negotiated NFL Stadium Naming Rights Agreement on behalf of a global automotive company
• Secured naming rights to an NBA Franchisee’s new practice facility and other promotional and sponsorship rights for a healthcare system client
• Counseled global automotive company in connection with the acquisition of promotional and multi-media rights to several colleges and universities from IMG College and Learfield Communications
• Counseled clients concerning business and legal considerations relating to agreements with sports properties such as Formula 1, NBA China, US Ski Team, and PGA TOUR tournament sponsorships
• Negotiated Official Partnership and MLB League-wide promotional rights agreement on behalf of a client
• Negotiated global licensing and video game agreement on behalf of world's highest ranked professional golfer with EA Sports
• Completed an agreement for naming rights to the suite/club level of a new MLB ballpark
• Represented several Regional Sports Networks in connection with securing team media rights and distribution agreements
• Advised a new sports league on establishment of a personal conduct policy and a protocol for a performance enhancing substance testing and violation sanctions
• Negotiated global ambassadorship and sponsorship agreement on behalf of corporate client with highly ranked professional golfer
• Advised and counseled the marine division of a large international corporation related to its sponsorship and marketing initiatives
• Represented major international golf equipment company concerning matters relating to their sponsorship, advertising, and marketing activities with professional golfers
• Negotiated exclusive broadcast advertising agreement for an NFL sponsor with NBC Sports Group
• Represented North America's leading software company providing 50/50 raffle system to over 150 professional and collegiate sports stadiums and arenas
• Counseled clients on proper usage of contests, sweepstakes, and social media platforms in connection with corporate advertising, marketing, and promotional campaigns
• Counseled and advised an NHL Franchise on a variety of business and legal matters