Industry

Sports

Guiding Sports Industry Leaders in Business and Beyond

Our Sports industry lawyers partner with owners, teams, leagues, sponsors and investors in all aspects of the industry.

We deliver business-focused, practical solutions that drive growth, protect assets, close landmark deals and support expansion into new markets.

Passionate About Sports, Driven by Excellence
 
Our lawyers are immersed in the business of sports. We advise legendary franchises, ambitious startups, entertainment and media companies and trailblazers redefining competition.

Combining legal acumen with first-hand industry knowledge, we help our clients navigate a constantly shifting landscape, whether structuring innovative deals, resolving challenging disputes or supporting growth and exploring new and emerging sports markets.

With a presence in major sports hubs across the U.S., Europe and Asia, we are equipped to support our clients wherever they operate. Sheppard’s team is recognized for steering high-profile sports matters and managing deals that make headlines, from franchise sales and stadium projects to record-setting media rights contracts and strategic partnerships. We are committed partners—trusted to help drive growth, safeguard reputations and strengthen client brands.

At Sheppard, we are more than just legal counsel—we are invested in our clients’ success, helping sports industry clients achieve results as memorable as the games themselves.

Areas of Focus

Sports Industry Investments and Mergers and Acquisitions
We have a proven record in acquisitions, sales, financings, spin-offs, restructurings and investments across all major leagues and emerging leagues. We manage the full lifecycle—from diligence and negotiations to league approval and closing—working seamlessly across our transactional, regulatory and industry teams to deliver results.
Sports Technology
We have deep expertise advising sports technology companies at every stage of growth, from early innovation to large-scale commercial deployment. We guide founders, investors, teams and leagues through product launches, data and analytics agreements, IP and licensing deals, complex integrations and capital raises. With experience across all major leagues and emerging sports ecosystems, we help sports tech companies scale smarter and move faster.
Media Rights and Broadcast Deals
Sheppard advises on all aspects of media rights management and ground-breaking licensing deals for owners of media rights assets, representing teams, sporting venues, colleges and universities, leagues, broadcasters and platforms in deals covering traditional, digital, streaming and global distribution. We help our clients capture opportunities as the marketplace evolves, expand audience engagement, and realize the commercial value of their content.
Employment Issues
We counsel on the unique employment and labor issues in sports, from collective bargaining agreements and compliance to complex wage-and-hour claims and talent agreements. Our experience covers players, coaches, team personnel and high-profile litigation, ensuring our clients are positioned to operate with certainty and confidence.
Sponsorships, Naming Rights and Licensing
We guide clients in negotiating and closing sophisticated sponsorship agreements, naming rights deals and licensing arrangements. From MLB and NFL stadium projects to headline-making athlete endorsements and digital-first brand collaborations, our team works across all major leagues and emerging leagues to help clients maximize both reach and return on these high-stakes, high-value relationships.
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Branding and Advertising
Protecting and building sports brands is at the heart of what we do. We provide strategies for everything from major ad campaigns to ambush marketing prevention. We advise on some of the industry’s largest endorsement, influencer and promotional initiatives. Our lawyers help clients keep pace with today’s ever-changing media and advertising landscape.
Tax
Our experienced Tax lawyers deliver tailored solutions for sports organizations, teams and owners facing multifaceted local and cross-border tax challenges. We structure transactions, sponsorships and compensation arrangements to achieve strategic goals and regulatory compliance in a fast-moving industry.
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Sheppard Sports Page
Sheppard's Sports Industry Team is Keeping You up to Speed in the World of Sports – Check out our Sheppard Sports Page and/or subscribe here.