Insights on Sports

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 69 attorneys were recognized as leaders in their field and 23 practices spanning the firm’s litigation, regulatory, and transactional capabilities were ranked in the 2025 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

The sports industry continued to evolve in 2024, presenting new challenges and opportunities for venues, teams, athletes, corporate sponsors, and fans.

ArentFox Schiff served as legal counsel to American Skating Entertainment Centers, LLC, a leading owner and operator of ice-skating and indoor sports facilities across the United States, including Toyota Sports Performance Center home of the LA KINGS, UCLA Health Training Center home of the LA Lakers, Wake Competition Center home of the Carolina Hurricanes, and the LA Galaxy Soccer Center, in connection with its strategic partnership with Seidler Equity Partners.

ArentFox Schiff represented the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in connection with the Miller family’s acquisition of a majority stake in the Utah Royals FC club. The Miller family brings a longstanding legacy in local professional sports ownership, having previously owned the NBA’s Utah Jazz from 1985 to 2020.

In a legal clash between MLB Players Inc. (MLBPI) and sports betting companies, DraftKings and bet365, the US District Court for the Eastern District of Pennsylvania denied the defendants’ motions to dismiss.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 15 attorneys have been recognized in 2025 Lawdragon 500 Leading Global Entertainment, Sports & Media Lawyers, denoting legal prowess that matches “the imprint of their client’s global reach.”

ArentFox Shiff served as legal counsel to the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) for the transaction awarding an expansion team to the City of Denver.

ArentFox Schiff served as outside counsel to the New York Red Bulls in a major naming rights and ticketing transaction with Sports Illustrated Tickets.

ArentFox Schiff has been nationally recognized with 35 top rankings in the 2025 edition of Best Law Firms®, which honors firms for professional excellence based on consistently positive ratings from clients and peers.

In May, a top-ranked wide receiver from the two-time reigning state champion football program at DeSoto High School in Texas tweeted his disappointment that California, Georgia, Florida, and even Louisiana allow high school athletes to monetize their name, image, and likeness (NIL).

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that San Francisco Managing Partner and Sports Practice Leader Richard Brand has been named among Daily Journal’s “Top 100 Lawyers” for the third year in a row and fourth time overall for his continuing impact on the legal profession.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 135 attorneys have been recognized by The Best Lawyers in America 2025, with two attorneys highlighted as “Lawyers of the Year” and 70 attorneys listed as “Ones to Watch.”

On August 12, Fantasy Life, a leading fantasy sports and sports betting media company founded by Matthew Berry, announced the acquisition of Guillotine Leagues, a fast-growing fantasy gaming platform that offers a new take on fantasy football.

ArentFox Schiff represented the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in connection with the recent acquisition of the Seattle Reign FC club by the ownership group comprising the owners of Seattle Sounders FC and The Carlyle Group.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 20 practices and 20 attorneys have been ranked by The Legal 500 United States 2024 guide, including two Tier 1 rankings in Intellectual Property – Patents: Prosecution and Finance – Restructuring: Municipal.

ArentFox Schiff is pleased to announce that 70 attorneys were recognized as leaders in their field and 23 practices spanning the firm’s litigation, regulatory, and transactional capabilities were ranked among the best in the country in the 2024 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business.

San Francisco Managing Partner Richard Brand will speak at the Sports Lawyers Association’s 2024 Annual Conference on the “Current Issues in Sports Media: Back to the Future?” panel on Saturday, May 11 in Baltimore, MD.

With 2024 underway, our team highlights 10 of the most pressing legal issues facing the media and entertainment industry this year.

ArentFox Schiff represented the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in connection with the recent investment by the Levine Leichtman family in the San Diego Wave.

The sports industry experienced a year of considerable change in 2023, presenting new opportunities for athletes, team owners, and corporate sponsors.

ArentFox Schiff LLP is proud to announce that the firm’s Trademark practice group and nine attorneys have been ranked in 2024 WTR 1000 – the World’s Leading Trademark Professionals, the definitive guide for Trademark practitioners around the globe.

ArentFox Schiff advised the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in the sale of Portland Thorns FC to RAJ Sports, led by Lisa Bhathal Merage and Alex Bhathal. The Bhathal family’s additional sports holdings include an ownership interest in the NBA’s Sacramento Kings.

The sports industry has been a leader in innovation and technological advancements. It has been nearly two decades since “Moneyball” revolutionized MLB by introducing data-driven analytics. Consistent with its role as a leader, the business of professional sports is likely to undergo (and is, in fact, already undergoing) profound changes because of the rise of AI.

ArentFox Schiff has been awarded 62 top rankings in the 2024 edition of Best Law Firms® which recognizes firms for professional excellence based on consistently positive ratings from clients and peers.

Partner Eric Fishman speaks on a panel at Brooklyn Law School’s third annual Sports Law Symposium. The symposium theme is “Sports Tech: A Sports Lawyer’s Playbook,” and will feature three panels and a keynote conversation.