Greenberg Traurig

Greenberg Traurig’s global Sports Law Practice represents clients across virtually every facet of the sports and entertainment industries, including teams, athletes, agents, team owners, leagues, governing bodies, Olympic committees, esports and video game organisations, rights holders, broadcasters, sponsors and venue operators and event management companies. Our team couples broad interdisciplinary skills and significant in-house sector experience to resolve business issues and disputes across the United States, Europe, the Middle East, and Asia Pacific. We are committed to delivering strategic, tailored, and innovative commercial legal strategies to further our clients’ goals.

Our services include contracts with professional sports teams and athletes, endorsement agreements, advertising agreements, acquisitions and dispositions of professional teams and entertainment businesses, antitrust matters, immigration issues, broadcast and production agreements, concert event agreements, labor and union matters, labor disputes, contract disputes, government affairs, copyright matters, trademark matters, intellectual property matters, ticketing agreements, merchandise licensing agreements, content and licensing agreements, sponsorship agreements, naming rights agreements, tax work, and wealth preservation planning. Additionally, we focus on professional athlete management, offering advice and guidance to help athletes build their careers and prepare for successful lives post-retirement. We also have extensive experience with sports facilities and entertainment venues, including financing, leasing, and related matters for stadiums and arenas across the United States, Middle East and Europe.

Of particular note, Greenberg Traurig is unique among global law firms operating in the Middle East by having a dedicated Sports, Media & Entertainment practice on the ground, exclusively supporting clients across the region in this booming market. Our local team is a key part of our global Sports & Entertainment industry group and has been consistently recognised by legal directories for over 20 years. With deep regional, sector-specific experience, our Middle East sports lawyers are at the forefront of the sports and entertainment sector's development. Our wide-ranging sector experience and long-established local connections enable us to serve the individual needs of our clients and as trusted advisers to a diverse range of clients, we are also active in pro bono cases and thought leadership, frequently contributing to local, regional, and international conferences and media, and providing innovative postgraduate education.

Our team includes a Court of Arbitration for Sports Arbitrator, as well as an Anti-Doping Panel Member and Board of Appeal of Classification Member for the International Paralympic Committee. Our lawyers are ranked in:

• Who’s Who Legal: ‘Thought Leader for Sports & Gaming Law’
• Chambers and Partners Global: ‘UAE TMT: Media, Entertainment & Sports’, ‘UAE Commercial Contracts’
• Legal 500: ‘EMEA TMT’