Sports

Covington's dedication to the business of sports runs broad and deep. Our work spans the industry—from league and association structuring, governance, and rule-making matters to acquisitions of franchises or other sports related businesses; from launches of single sport and regional sports networks to groundbreaking Internet and mobile media agreements; from the formation of new e-sport start-up ventures to multi-billion dollar stadium financings, Covington has played a central role in headline-making sports matters for decades.

For more than 50 years, we have represented major U.S. and international sports organizations, among them Major League Baseball, Major League Soccer, NASCAR, NBA, NFL, NHL, USOC, USGA, UFC, USTA and the American Athletic Association, Atlantic 10 and Pacific-12 conferences in the United States; the FIA (the governing body of Formula 1 racing), Drayson Technologies and British Horseracing Authority in Europe; and League of Legends maker Riot Games and parent Tencent Holdings in the U.S. and China (e-sports ventures). We also have advised a host of individual leagues, teams, and clubs in the U.S. and internationally, including with respect to governance and league structuring, and we have also advised prospective owners and investors looking to enter the industry through team or other business acquisitions or joint ventures.

Sports industry participants regularly seek our advice for complex, industry-shaping legal questions covering such diverse matters as antitrust counseling, collective bargaining, copyright enforcement, financings, governance, insurance recovery, litigation, media rights development, mergers and acquisitions, regulatory affairs, sponsorships, and state, federal, and international tax.