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Douglas G. Gibson

Partner

Washington +1 202 662 5483

  • About
  • Representative Matters
  • Credentials
  • About

    Doug Gibson is Chair of Covington’s Management Committee, and is responsible for the overall direction of Covington’s strategy and operations.

    In addition to his leadership and management roles, Doug has continued an active corporate practice. Doug represents the firm’s sports clients, including Major League Baseball, the National Basketball Association, the National Football League, the National Hockey League, the PGA of America, the Portland Trailblazers, the United States Tennis Association, the UFC, and the Chicago Cubs. He also has extensive experience in the consumer products industry, representing such clients as Bacardi Ltd. and Giorgio Armani, S.P.A.

    Doug’s practice emphasizes strategic counseling; mergers, acquisitions, divestitures and joint ventures; debt financings; and sports media transactions.  Doug has significant expertise in cross-border transactions gained both during his tenure at Covington and through his prior experience as General Counsel of Bacardi Limited.  In addition to negotiating and structuring transactions, he advises clients on general corporate and strategic matters, including corporate governance issues and senior executive employment and incentive arrangements.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Practices and Industries
  • Representative Matters
    • Advised Bacardi in its acquisition of Patrón Spirits International AG and its PATRÓN® brand, the world’s top-selling ultra-premium tequila, from John Paul DeJoria, a founder of Patrón. The transaction reflected an enterprise value for Patrón of U.S. $5.1 billion. 
    • Representing Steve Ballmer in efforts to acquire the Los Angeles Clippers. 
    • Representing the Independent Advisory Committee to the United States Olympic Committee, chaired by Paul Tagliabue, in its assessment of the board structure and operations model of the USOC. 
    • Representing the National Football League in the negotiation of its television contracts with CBS, FOX, NBC, ESPN and in the negotiation of its Sunday Ticket out-of-market package with DirecTV. 
    • Representing Time Warner Cable in negotiations with respect to the Dodgers’ RSN.   

    • Representing the NHL in negotiating its media rights deal with Rogers Canada.
    • Representing Major League Baseball in the launch of The MLB Network, including the negotiation of joint venture arrangements with distributors for ownership of the channel.  
    • Representing the National Football League various league and team financings, including in the NFL’s multi-billion league-wide commercial paper and term note financing program and in its G-3 stadium funding program.
    • Representing the National Hockey League in the various team sales, including the Buffalo Sabres, the Montreal Canadiens and the Tampa Bay Lightning.
    • Representing the United States Tennis Association in its acquisition of interests in various U.S. Open Series tennis tournaments, including a controlling interest in the Western and Southern Financial Group Masters professional men's tennis tournament held annually in Mason, Ohio and in the licensing of the sanction for a Tier I women's professional tennis tournament to be held in conjunction with the men's event.
    • Representing Giorgio Armani, S.P.A. in a cross-border joint venture transaction with respect to the A/X Armani Exchange business.
    • Representing Incline Equity, a private equity firm, in the sale of a portfolio company.

    Areas of Expertise

  • Credentials
    Education
    • Harvard Law School, J.D., 1990
        • cum laude
    • Johns Hopkins University, B.S., 1987
        • with honors
    Bar Admissions
    • District of Columbia
    Pro Bono
    • Representation of The Facundo and Elizabeth Bacardi Family Foundation.         
    Accolades
    • Recognized by SportsBusiness Journal on the "50 Most Influential People in Sports Business" list (2016).
    • Recognized by SportsBusiness Journal on the “Power Players: Outside Counsel” list in its highest tier, “Chairman’s Club” (2016).
    • Law360, Media & Entertainment MVP (2014)
    • The Best Lawyers in America (2009-2022)
    • LawDragon 500 Leading Lawyers in America (2014)
    • The Best Lawyers in America, Washington Sports Lawyer of the Year (2013)
    • Chambers USA: America’s Leading Business Lawyers, leading sports lawyer (2007-2023)
    • Washington DC Super Lawyers, Business/Corporate (2013-2020)
    • Legal 500 US, Sports (2008-2010, 2014-2017); M&A/Corporate and Commercial (2015); and Telecoms and Broadcast: Transactional (2012-2013)
    • Washingtonian, Entertainment (2013)
    Memberships and Affiliations
    • England & Company, Member of the Advisory Board
    Previous Experience
    • Bacardi Limited, General Counsel and member of the Executive Committee (1998-2000).  While at Bacardi, Doug oversaw the Company's acquisition of the Dewar's Scotch Whisky and Bombay Gin brands, including the required $2 billion multinational financing for that transaction. He also managed the negotiation and implementation of the Company's production and distribution joint venture with the Chinese government and the establishment of a Bacardi manufacturing and distribution venture in India.

    Areas of Expertise

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