Mintz

Overview

Mintz understands from experience the legal complexities associated with the businesses of sports and entertainment. Representing some of the biggest brands in professional and college sports, Mintz is a go-to partner for prominent sports-world owners, teams, executives, universities and athletic departments, businesses, talent agencies, and athletes. Mintz’s interdisciplinary team has an exceptional depth of knowledge surrounding the legal issues impacting the sports industry including litigation, league compliance and investigations, stadium and project financing, television network and media rights, entertainment transactions, arena management, NFTs, NIL and DEI issues, and intellectual property rights. In addition, Mintz represents some of the biggest names in entertainment, including creatives, talent, studios, networks, and executives. Our team is sought-after to handle agreements for productions, copyright infringement actions, employment matters, and other legal issues for studios, networks, and streaming companies. Practitioners in the firm’s Sports & Entertainment Practice have earned and received recognition and awards for client-centered service and a practical approach to solving problems. In 2021, three members of the practice were named to the Sports Business Journal’s list of “2021 Power Players: Outside Counsel.”

Mintz Sports & Entertainment attorneys include members from the firm’s Litigation, Intellectual Property, Corporate, and Employment Practices, among others. This multidisciplinary approach allows the Mintz team to bring an array of talents to each engagement — generating integrated solutions to put clients in the best position to win. With 550+ attorneys across the firm’s eight offices, and nearly 40 attorneys in the Sports & Entertainment Practice, the team has a national footprint and access to a strong international law firm network.

Select Experience

• Lead counsel on launch of Overtime Elite, a ground breaking new professional basketball league, which included employment matters, sports and entertainment services, healthcare regulatory advice, licensing issues and the creation of the league’s Uniform Player’s Agreement, Player Conduct Policy, Sponsorship and Endorsement protocols, health privacy and data procedures and the Group Licensing Agreements.
• Have advised and continue to advise the Boston Red Sox on confidential internal and external matters.
• Advised MLB Hall of Fame player with regard to broadcast media contracts.
• Advised iconic NBA legend with regard to the sale of his personal memorabilia collection and NFT rights.
• Serving as outside general counsel to professional sports franchises in the National Basketball Association (NBA) and National Hockey League (NHL).
• Have represented individuals in high profile investigations by Major League Baseball (MLB) and the NHL.
• Have successfully arbitrated several matters involving athletes and agents before the National Basketball Players Association (NBPA).
• Represented Major League Baseball with respect to various contract, IP and compliance issues in connection with the All-Star Game and its associated events.
• Regularly advise private equity firms on investments and other transactions with sports agencies.
• Have advised purchasers of minority ownership interests in several professional sports franchises.
• Advise clients on National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) and Athlete Agent Act regulatory compliance, mergers and acquisitions, tax structuring, and employment and independent contractor agreements.
• Advise universities, athletic directors and media entities on matters relating to name/image/likeness endorsements and antitrust issues related to college athletics.
• Represented key fantasy sports figure at the center of the DraftKings/FanDuel federal and multi-state regulatory controversy over whether fantasy sports constitutes illegal gambling under federal and/or state law, involves misuse of “insider information” or employs unfair or deceptive practices. Representation includes class action defense, criminal defense and regulatory/consumer enforcement representation.
• Represented the Ivy League in a government investigation into unlawful price fixing of scholarship awards.
• Represent senior executive of publicly traded global gaming (including sports betting) enterprise in connection with multi-country securities inquiries and class actions alleging stock manipulation.
• Advised numerous sports and event organizations, including Boston 2024 and Los Angeles 2024, on how to manage risk, including drafting bespoke insurance policies to cover different phases of construction, games, events, and contractual obligations.
• Represented the owner of a Major League Baseball (MLB) team in a U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) inquiry into the conduct of a former MLB player. The international matter spanned two jurisdictions and involved the DOJ Office of International Affairs.
• Represented several high-profile athletes and entertainers in matters relating to executive employment contracts, immigration, intellectual property and trademark disputes, licensing, endorsements, and government inquiries and investigations.
• Advised a number of clients on all aspects of NCAA compliance, including enforcement, investigations, infractions, and appeals. Negotiated the reduction of various NCAA penalties assessed to universities, athletics personnel, and student-athletes.
• Served as bond and tax counsel on financings for various stadiums and arenas, including Yankee Stadium, Citi Field (NY Mets), and Barclays Arena (Nets/Islanders).
• Regularly advise apparel and equipment manufacturers in matters relating to consumer product safety, false advertising, intellectual property litigation, and licensing and collaboration disputes.