Starting Area/Sector information

The increasing convergence of sport and business involves an international and diverse community of investors, stakeholders, governments, supranational bodies, funders, consumer brands and - of course - sportspersons. Successful interaction among them depends crucially on legal advice which is not only excellent in itself, but sensitised to the commercial and cultural environment of sport. Such advice is vital, for example, in acquiring and funding sports businesses, commercialising sports related rights, developing physical infrastructure and supporting the bodies that regulate and host events.

Our Sports Industry Group exists to meet that need, combining our international leadership in the key areas of legal expertise with longstanding and authentic expertise in the sports arena.

The Group's recent work has involved:

  • Advising Galatioto Sports Partners in connection with various aspects of their financing of the Tom Hicks-controlled parent company of the Texas Rangers (MLB) and the Dallas Stars (NHL), including the US bankruptcy filing of the Texas Rangers.
  • Staging and organising international sports events
  • Advising the London Organising Committee of the Olympic Games in the lead up to the 2012 Olympics in London
  • Advising the International Rugby Board on all legal aspects of the organisation of the Rugby World Cup 2007
  • Advising on trademark and competition law issues, on sponsorship options and on hospitality packages in the context of the 2006 Football World Cup
  • Advising sports marketing agency Prosport on the establishment of the European Hockey League, which includes drafting of sponsorship, merchandising and broadcasting contracts.

Financing sports companies and assets:

  • Advising Lagardere Group on the €865m acquisition of Sportfive, the European leader in football marketing and broadcasting rights, from Advent International, Goldman Sachs Capital Partners and RTL Group.
  • Advising Callaway Golf on the corporate and competition law aspects of its acquisition of Top-Flite
  • Project and infrastructure development of sports venues/stadia
  • Advising one of the key participants in the development of Wembley national stadium
  • Advising the contractor in relation to the financing and development of the West Stand at Stamford Bridge in London, home of Chelsea FC
  • Raising finance for sporting ventures
  • Advising Société Générale on the financing of the acquisitions of the Boston Celtics basketball team (NBA) and the Washington Redskins (NFL)
  • Advising OL Group, the owner of the Olympique Lyonnais football club, on its initial public offering, the first for a football club in France
  • Advising the German football club 1. FC Köln on the issuing of a €5m bond

Managing, trading and protecting sports rights

  • Advising Morgan Stanley and WestLB on the securitisation of the present and future cash flows derived from the exploitation of broadcasting and merchandising rights of Formula One motor racing
  • Advising the Professional Football League (LFP) on the €1.8bn sale of the French Premier League football championship TV rights for the seasons 2005-2006 to 2007-2008
  • Advising the German Tennis Association in connection with the sale of tournament rights for the WTA ladies’ tournament in Berlin and with the participation in the ATP tournament in Hamburg by the Qatar Tennis Federation;
  • Sportspersons' contractual and employment issues
  • Advising the Football Association in the UK in relation to the departures of Glenn Hoddle and Graham Kelly
  • Advising the French Ministry of Sports on the drafting of a law for athletes image right remuneration
  • Advising Jean Tigana, former manager of Fulham Football Club, in connection with his departure from the club