Sports & Entertainment

Nelson Mullins' Sports Group brings a combination of industry-specific experience, legal knowledge, and business savvy to serve clients in the fast-paced, multifaceted sports industry. Our sports law practitioners have experience in corporate, labor and employment, antitrust, advertising, licensing, intellectual property, rights of publicity, traditional and new media, technology, data security and privacy, tax, and litigation. When client needs demand more specific levels of knowledge, we collaborate with professionals from other groups in the firm for a truly multidisciplinary approach.

Our sports and entertainment practice is national in scope and set up to function cohesively with the firm’s other practices across all of our offices. We have served clients in connection with a wide variety of transactions such as stadium and arena naming rights; league-wide official marketing partnerships; trademark licensing; multimedia rights; facility use agreements; name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements within collegiate athletics; digital marketing and advertising; team sponsorships; sweepstakes and contests; consumer product licensing; brand endorsement agreements; crypto, FinTech, and blockchain integration with sports properties, music, literary, movie and television, and other entertainment agreements; talent representation agreements; and casino gaming and legalized sports gambling operations compliance. Given our experience in the industry, we are able to add a credible business viewpoint, which is in addition to the legal services necessary to complete a comprehensive and binding legal document. We always maintain a client-focused approach to delivering each client’s objectives at fair and competitive pricing.

Clients using our services in the sports and entertainment industry include

Sports & Entertainment Entities

• Regional sports networks
• Title sponsors to professional golf tournaments
• Sports equipment manufacturers and other OEMs in the sports industry
• Sports technology companies
• An international youth sports training company
• Professional sports agencies and agents 
• Professional sports franchises
• Sports fantasy, gaming businesses, and e-sports promoters
• Sports apparel manufacturers and retailers 
• Independent record labels 

Corporate Clients Engaging in the Sports Industry

• A large national freight carrier
• A global automotive manufacturer
• Healthcare institutions and insurers
• A global consumer electronics company
• A global tire manufacturer
• A global media rights distributor 
• FinTech businesses

Individuals

• Professional athletes
• Celebrities in myriad entertainment fields
• Social media influencers
• Authors and recording artists

Interdisciplinary team to serve your many different needs

Our Sports & Entertainment Team includes a diverse group of experienced attorneys who can handle the many different matters that arise in sports and entertainment law. The team includes attorneys engaged in the following areas of practice:

• Sports Law
• Entertainment
• Corporate
• Mergers and Acquisitions
• Labor and Employment
• Higher Education
• Advertising, Licensing, and Sponsorships
• Technology
• Intellectual Property
• Data Security
• Litigation
• Antitrust
• 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 multiyear 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 clients concerning business and legal considerations relating to agreements with sports properties such as Formula 1, NBA China, U.S. 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
• Served as lead gaming attorney on multibillion-dollar deal representing foreign gaming client in acquisition of arm of global gaming company based in the United States, which included virtual sports products
• 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
• Counseled global automotive company in connection with the acquisition of promotional and multimedia rights to several colleges and universities
• Negotiated a publishing agreement on behalf of a celebrity chef for a new cookbook 
• Negotiated a celebrity endorsement with a luxury cruise line 
• Counseled an independent record label on artist royalty structure and drafted label artist agreements 
• Counseled a regional bank on social media engagement policies during height of the pandemic and social protests 
• Counseled a national fast casual dining chain on comparative advertising statements
• Representing companies and other businesses seeking to access and secure new name, image, and likeness relationships with high school and NCAA student athletes