Sports and entertainment aren’t just fun and games—they are big business, and require sophisticated legal counsel knowledgeable about their industry’s business needs.

Our team represents current and former professional athletes, pro teams and their executives, musicians (from country to hip-hop), film/television actors and celebrity entertainers, social media influencers, race teams and drivers, major college athletics programs, and major event organizers/promoters in a full range of legal services. Often, these matters take place under great public scrutiny, meaning law firms representing athletes and entertainers must be sensitive to this added complication. Clients trust Womble Bond Dickinson to represent them zealously, yet discretely.

Our specific services to sports and entertainment clients include:

Commercial Agreements

Working with athletes, entertainers, teams and other sports and entertainment clients on a wide range of contracts and agreements needed to conduct their current and future business ventures. Our experience includes representing clients in negotiating and drafting entertainment performance, endorsement, marketing, production, guest feature, licensing, collaboration, non-disclosure, employment and other types of agreements. 

Corporate

Providing guidance and assistance preparing documentation related to entity formation, governance and legal compliance. Once established, we guide individuals and companies on all aspects of day-to-day business, often serving as “Outside General Counsel” to our sports and entertainment clients. Our experience also includes helping clients with strategic and business transition planning. 

Investments & Financing

Managing all facets of transactions and preparation of any and all documentation needed to make initial and realized investments in various industries, including extensive experience in the sports and entertainment sectors. In addition, we help clients identify appropriate business opportunities, conduct diligence and secure necessary funding.

Intellectual Property

Guiding sports and entertainment clients to establish, protect and monetize copyrights and trademarks (including brand, name and likeness marks), both in the U.S. and around the world. 

Litigation and Dispute Resolution

Defending clients’ rights in a wide range of state and federal disputes, including general commercial, contractual, trademark/copyright, employment, and construction/real estate litigation and government investigations. Our team also is experienced in arbitration and mediation. 

Internal Investigations and Criminal Representation

Some of the most high-profile and confidential matters involve investigations into potential wrongdoing or the defense of criminal accusations. Our experienced team can guide individuals and entities through the myriad of challenges these issues create including public relations guidance.

Employment Law

Helping entertainment and sports companies manage staff and contractors, focusing on avoiding compliance problems. Should a problem arise, team members are highly experienced in resolving employment disputes, with an eye on avoiding negative publicity. We also are working with higher education clients in the emerging area of college athlete compensation. 

Tax, Trusts and Estates Law

Advising companies on legal and business strategies involving the complex array of local, state and national taxes that sports and entertainment clients (including touring acts) need. Team members also represent clients in audits and disputes with the IRS and state taxing authorities, and counsel clients in estate planning and the transfer of wealth.

Representative Experience

  • Managed global trademark portfolio of sports apparel company and played central role in the multi-million-dollar sale of its IP assets.
  • Negotiated multiple product license agreements for well-known celebrity, including extensive negotiation about IP rights, personal name and likeness rights, use in advertising, and personal appearances.
  • Assisted various prominent professional athletes and recording artists in all facets of business investments, including a bid to purchase a NBA franchise.  
  • Served as counsel to Chapter 11 debtors in possession in a sports media case in the Southern District of New York.
  • Conducted numerous hazing investigations of university and college students and organizations, including those involving athletic teams.
  • Served as legal counsel to NASCAR team owners, drivers and track owners for nearly three decades providing advice on business, tax, aviation and motorsports matters.
  • Oversaw initial and realized investments for a sports and entertainment centric private equity fund managing multi-million-dollar in assets. 
  • Represented musicians, entertainers, and current and former professional athletes in a variety of litigation-related matters, including civil litigation and administrative investigations.
  • Represented front-office personnel in internal investigations conducted by professional sports leagues.
  • Represent coaches and athletes in contract negotiation and litigation matters.
  • Represented athletes and entertainers in defamation actions, criminal investigations and criminal allegations. Provided guidance and witness preparation when served with subpoenas. 
  • Conducted internal investigations into allegations of misconduct and fraud on behalf of various athletic programs and professional sports teams.  
  • Litigated trademark dispute on behalf of music rhythm video game company.

Browse our Sports and Entertainment lawyers and professional staff

The sports and entertainment industries are big business. As attorneys who frequently work with athletes, entertainers, and industry institutions, we realize the amount of hard work and strategic thinking it takes to be successful. Think of our experienced sports and entertainment lawyers as an extension of your team, protecting and defending your interests with complete discretion.

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Our Sports and Entertainment Services

Sports
 

We're attorneys, athletes, and sports lovers. Our multidisciplinary team includes former NCAA athletes and a former NFL board of directors for the Charlotte chapter of the NFLPA’s retired players division, the Charlotte Touchdown Club, and the Board of Advisors to the NIL Prep Foundation. The Charlotte Touchdown Club hosts the Bronko Nagurski Award Ceremony, recognizing the nation’s top collegiate defensive football player.

Who We Represent

  • Athletes: Current and former professional athletes
  • Organizations: Major collegiate universities and athletics programs, sports agencies, current and former professional athletes, pro teams, including three MLB teams, sports executives, race teams and drivers
  • Industry participants: National and regional sports organizations, sports product manufacturers, and industry service providers
     

Entertainment

Experience in the sports, entertainment, and media industries helps us understand the business models and technologies involved in most of our clients' legal issues. For instance, we may advise on content-driven marketing, digital distribution, fan management, and mobile advertising.

Our Clients

  • Actors, celebrity entertainers, and influencers
  • Authors and book publishers
  • Film, television, and live-stage production companies
  • Dancers and choreographers
  • Entertainment venues
  • Grammy nominated musicians, record labels, broadcast stations, and music publishers

 

Industry-Focused Advice and Services

Commercial Agreements 
We review, draft, and negotiate terms for contracts and industry agreements, including Name, Image and Likeness (NIL), entertainment performance, recording, endorsement, marketing, production, guest feature, licensing, collaboration, child actor, union and guild, and employment agreements.

Business Transactions and General Corporate Legal Services
Our team can assist you with entity formation, corporate governance, legal compliance, routine legal issues, and long-term strategic and business transition planning, as well strategic investments within the industry. We often act as “Outside General Counsel” to our sports and entertainment clients.

Investments and Financing
We provide end-to-end transaction management for investments and projects in the sports and entertainment sectors. We also help clients identify appropriate business opportunities, conduct diligence, and secure necessary funding.

Intellectual Property
Protecting, managing, and monetizing intellectual property assets is a significant part of our practice. Our experience is relevant to copyrights and trademarks (including brand, name, and likeness marks) in the U.S. and internationally. Our attorneys are also nationally recognized for their expertise in NIL issues in collegiate and high school athletics.  

Litigation and Dispute Resolution
We’re prepared to defend your rights in various state and federal disputes, including constitutional law, products liability, contracts, intellectual property, employment, construction/real estate litigation, and government investigations. Our team routinely secures favorable outcomes through alternative mechanisms such as arbitration and mediation.

Internal Investigations and Criminal Representation
Some of the most high-profile and confidential matters involve investigations into potential wrongdoing or the defense of criminal accusations. Our experienced team can guide individuals and entities through the myriad challenges these issues create, including public relations guidance.

Employment Law
We help entertainment and sports companies manage staff and contractors and avoid compliance problems. Should a problem arise, several team members have experience resolving employment disputes while avoiding negative publicity. We also work with higher education clients in the emerging area of college athlete compensation.

Wealth Management, Trusts, and Estates
Our attorneys offer wealth transfer, business succession, and estate planning to minimize future income, estate, and gift tax obligations.

Tax
A complex array of local, state, and national taxes can impact sports and entertainment clients, particularly touring acts. We offer domestic and international tax planning services, with experience in 50+ countries worldwide. We also represent clients in tax audits and disputes with the IRS and other tax authorities.
 

Need legal advice and guidance in sports and entertainment?
Our team is able to help provide solutions to you and your organization. Browse through our lawyers and professional staff to find the right attorney near you.
Sports Stadium

Representative Experience

  • Represented the top overall high school football recruit in the country in successfully challenging a regulatory ban on NIL activities for public high school athletes in nationally-recognized litigation
  • Represented former NFL executive in NFL and Congressional investigations into workplace misconduct and financial issues.
  • Represented a sports promotion company in securing take-out financing relative to the equity sale of the Ultimate Fighting Championship (UFC) organization, reported as the largest transaction in sports history at $4 billion
  • Represented a large university in an NCAA Committee on Infractions hearing on alleged violations of NCAA rules by the university’s baseball program
  • Exclusively represented a sports agency in negotiating and drafting all of its Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) contracts, content production agreement and similar agreements for various athletes and entertainers represented by the agency
  • Represented a large university in pioneering a standard form Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreement to be used with athletes across its athletic programs, as well as other universities in its conference
  • Served as outside general counsel to various sports organizations and agencies
  • Served as legal counsel to NASCAR team owners, drivers, and track owners for nearly three decades providing advice on business, tax, aviation and motorsports matters
  • Managed global trademark portfolio of sports apparel company and played central role in the multi-million-dollar sale of its IP assets
  • Assisted various prominent professional athletes and recording artists in all facets of initial and realized business investments, including a bid to purchase a NBA franchise
  • Negotiated multiple product license agreements for well-known celebrity, including extensive negotiation about IP rights, personal name and likeness rights, use in advertising, and personal appearances
  • Conducted internal investigations into allegations of misconduct and fraud for various athletic programs and professional sports teams
  • Negotiated an arena lease and management agreement for the prospective purchase of a professional sports team in negotiations with municipality, drawing on our experience representing a prior bidder for the team out of bankruptcy and a negotiation of a similar arena lease for an NBA team
  • Provided intellectual property counseling (including trademark clearance) and patent prosecution services to MLB teams