Sports Law

The sports world has changed drastically over the past decades. Clubs, leagues, national and international federations, professional athletes, agents and intermediaries, sponsors, equipment brands, videogame companies and the media today have to find the right balance between sporting success and commercial success within a complex legal framework and an ever-changing technological environment that offers numerous opportunities, but also risks.

Our track record in this area underpins our reputation as a specialised team that offers added value in especially complex cases. We advise public limited companies, clubs and sporting entities in general (including their controlling shareholders), national and international federations, leagues, event organisers and athletes, as well as financers, sponsors, major equipment brands, and holders and exploiters of audiovisual rights.

We assist with:

• Corporate transactions, sales, purchases andjoint ventures
• Contract negotiations: licensing rights (broadcasting, trademarks, images, etc.), sponsorships and endorsements, organisation and commercialisation of major events, financing, etc.
• Use of stadiums and public facilities to organise sporting events and other forms of commercial use: transaction structuring, analysing viability and negotiating with public authorities
• Player transfers and negotiations over financial issues deriving from club registration rights
• Negotiation and structuring of financing with sports-related underlying collateral: audiovisual rights, ticketing and season tickets, endorsement agreements, etc.
• Regulatory aspects deriving from national and international regulations applicable to sports competitions
• Sports-related litigation, including regulatory infringements and broadcasting rights
• Sports arbitration before domestic and international bodies (CAS, etc.)
• Tax advice for professional athletes