Media and entertainment: Sports in France
Clifford Chance
Clifford Chance's managing partner and corporate law expert Yves Wehrli has extensive experience assisting leading names in the industry with their most strategic matters. He notably advises professional federations on the organisation of major sports events, regulatory issues and the sale of TV broadcastings rights. Wehrli recently advised the French Tennis Federation on the sale of the television broadcasting rights for the Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament from 2021 to 2023. The practice is also one of the French Professional Football League's main advisers and recently sought Wehrli's advice regarding the sale of TV rights. Dispute resolution partner Thibaud d’Alés also contributes.
Practice head(s):
Yves Wehrli
Other key lawyers:
Testimonials
‘The Paris team quickly grasps cross-border legal issues. They provide excellent, timely advice and go above and beyond to get the right result.’
Key clients
Fédération Française de Football
Ligue de Football Professionnel
Fédération Française de Tennis
Paris Gay Games 2018
Work highlights
- Advised the French Tennis Federation on the sale of the television broadcasting rights for the Roland Garros Grand Slam tournament from 2021 to 2023.
- Defended Ligue de Football Professionnel in a commercial dispute initiated by media group Canal+ regarding the alleged loss of TV subscribers following the rescheduling of football games in reaction to ‘yellow vests’ protests.
- Advised Ligue de Football Professionnel on the sale of the television broadcasting rights for the Ligue 1 and 2 French football championship for the 2020-2021 and the 2023-2024 football seasons.
De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés
De Gaulle Fleurance & Associés has a prominent client base composed of several professional sports federations, sports leagues and major sport event organisers such as the French Tennis Federation, Paris Olympics 2024 and football championship league UEFA. The firm provides all-round expertise, including public-law, IP, commercial law and TV rights issues. The practice was notably involved in several high-profile disputes pertaining to illegal sport event ticket sales. In addition, the practice assisted several professional players with various issues, including negotiating club transfer contracts. Rhadamès Killy is highly recommended. Louis de Gaulle and Agnès Macaire are also key contacts. The group welcomed Jean-Louis Valentin in 2019, who joined as of counsel and who brings valuable experience from his previous positions as deputy general manager at the French Football Federation and as general secretary of the International Motor Federation. Jean-François Vilotte, who was named general secretary of the French Tennis Federation, left the firm in 2019.
Practice head(s):
Louis de Gaulle; Rhadamès Killy; Agnès Macaire
Testimonials
‘A large spectrum of expertise particularly adapted to advising on major sport event projects. The firm has strong legal expertise.’
‘The team is available and responsive.’
‘Rhadamès Killy demonstrates perfect understanding of matters at stake, is highly responsive and has remarkable contract and IP law technique.’
Key clients
Amaury Sport Organisation
French Tennis Federation
Meïssa N’Diaye
Paris 2024 Olympics and Paralympics bid committee
Syndicat National des Moniteurs du Ski Français
UEFA
UNESCO
Joffe & Associés
Joffe & Associés' Romain Soiron is full-time dedicated to advising sport industry clients. He is a key adviser to major leagues and federations including the French Professionnal Football League, the French Football Federation and the French National Handball league. Soiron also regularly assists clients with strategic matters, such as negotiations of sponsorship and broadcasting rights contracts. The representation of clients in proceedings launched to stop illegal sport event streaming and ticket resale practices are another busy line of work. Major sports events organisation also forms part of the caseload, with the advice to the Organising Committee for the Women’s World Cups 2019, which was held in France, as a prominent recent example. The group was also retained by a high-profile football team. Associate Aude Benichou provides key support. As part of a full-service firm offering, the practice can rely on complementary expertise from other teams, including the litigation and employment practices.
Practice head(s):
Romain Soiron
Testimonials
‘The firm has unique knowledge and experience in sports law and regulation, and its understanding of the sport industry is like no others. The firm actually knows the sport industry as well as its clients.’
‘The firm has incomparable knowledge of the sport industry. It quickly grasps matters at stake and provides total availability.’
‘Lawyers are available, responsive and knowledgeable. They provide adapted solutions.’
‘Romain Soiron has become the best lawyer around in the sport industry. He has a longstanding experience advising on media, sponsorship and commercial deals. He has a perfect understanding of clients’ needs. He certainly knows how to make everyone comfortable to work in the appropriate atmosphere and team spirit.’
Key clients
Organising Committee for the Women’s World Cups 2019
French Professionnal Football League
Asloum Event
French National Handball league
Première Ligue
French Football Federation
Work highlights
- Advised the Organising Committee for the Women’s World Cup 2019 on the corporate aspects linked to the organising of the FIFA Women’s World Cup competition held in France in 2019.
- Successfully represented the French Football League in proceedings before the Paris first instance court launched regarding the streaming website Rojadirecta in relation to illegal content streaming of French football championship Ligue 1 and Ligue 2 matches on its website.
- Assisted professional French boxing organisation Asloum Event with the drafting and negotiation of contracts with the World Boxing Association and Altice in relation to a professional boxing event organized by Asloum Event.
August Debouzy
August Debouzy advises a major professional football and rugby club, several major sport media outlets and a sport event organiser on corporate and IP rights issues. The practice is also key adviser to Nike, whom it assisted with the negotiation of a major sponsorship contract with football club Paris Saint-Germain. The group also represents clients complex and sensitive criminal investigations, including the French anti-doping agency. Alexandra Berg-Moussa and Basile Ader co-head the practice. Also involved are corporate partner Laurent Cotret and IP/IT partner Mahasti Razavi.
Practice head(s):
Alexandra Berg-Moussa; Basile Ader
Key clients
Nike
Olympique de Biarritz
L’Usine
Mr. Ghani Yalouz
Agence Française de Lutte contre le Dopage
LOSC (Lille Olympique Sporting Club)
Amer Sports Corporation
Work highlights
- Assisted Lille football club LOSC with the audit of its accounts and budget before the National Directorate of Management Control (DNCG) and the negotiation of a €142m share capital increase with shareholders and banks.
- Advised Nike’s legal department on the signing of a sponsorship agreement with football club Paris Saint-Germain.
AyacheSalama
AyacheSalama 's tax partner Jacques Messeca is adviser to major football players and clubs, such as football club Paris Saint-Germain and the French Premier League, as well as to several other sport federations, including the French rugby and basketball leagues. He provides strategic tax guidance and also advises clients on tax audits.
Practice head(s):
Jacques Messeca
Testimonials
‘The firm is an expert in tax and sports law. It provides excellent and accurate information to clients and is really responsive.’
‘Jacques Messeca is friendly, responsive, available and extremely professional.’
Key clients
PREMIERE LIGUE
LIGUE NATIONALE DE RUGBY
FEDERATION FRANCAISE DE RUGBY
UCPR
PARIS SAINT GERMAIN
CLASSICO SPORTS
XL SPORT
LOUIS KAWAY TOUTIN
LIGUE NATIONALE DE BASKET
DAVID LUIZ
DEMBA BA
RAPHAEL VARANE
GAEL KAKUTA
LASSANA DIARRA
HOUSSEM AOUAR
PARIS VOLLEY
TOULOUSE FOOTBALL CLUB
FC LORIENT
GIRONDINS DE BORDEAUX
Bignon Lebray
Bignon Lebray's Neil Robertson assists several French rugby clubs. He notably defends Stade Toulousain's rugby players in disciplinary proceedings and also regularly assists rugby clubs regarding shareholding investments.
Practice head(s):
Neil Robertson
Key clients
Stade Toulousain
CA Brive
Stade Niçois Rugby club
Golf de Maisons-Laffitte
Vivendi
Work highlights
- Represented Stade Toulousain’s rugby player Zack Holmes before the disciplinary committees of the EPCR in relation to a red card suspension handed over during a Champions Cup quarter-final match against Racing 92 in March 2019.
- Advised Stade Niçois Rugby club and certain partners and investors on the club’s restructuring, investments and corporate sponsorship.
- Advised Brive Rugby in relation to Vivendi joining the club as new shareholder.
De Pardieu Brocas Maffei
De Pardieu Brocas Maffei's competition law partner Emmanuel Durand regularly advises the French professional football and basket leagues as well as the French Football Federation on various matters, including regulatory and competition law issues, marketing issues and the negotiation of TV broadcasting rights.
Practice head(s):
Emmanuel Durand
Key clients
FRENCH PROFESSIONAL FOOTBALL LEAGUE
FRENCH PROFESSIONAL BASKETBALL LEAGUE
FRENCH FOOTBALL FEDERATION
SPORT & CO
CAA 11
PARIS 2024
PERNOD RICARD
ELLIOTT MANAGEMENT
Work highlights
- Advised the Ligue de Football Professionnel on discussions with UEFA concerning the reform of the UEFA Champions League competition.
- Advised Elliott Management on the refinancing of Lille Olympique Sporting Club.
- Advising Ligue Nationale de Basket and its marketing agency SPORT&Co on contractual relationship matters with Fiat Chrysler Automobiles for the naming of the Pro A Championships (JEEP Elite).
KGA Avocats
KGA Avocats advises various sport federations, several football leagues and sports clubs. The firm notably assists with sport law issues, including litigation involving clubs, federations and players. Eve Derouesné is the key contact in that respect. Through François Klein, Laurent Badiane and Matthieu Bourgeois, the practice also provides IP, image rights and data privacy expertise.
Practice head(s):
Eve Derouesné; Marc de Monsembernard; François Klein; Laurent Badiane; Matthieu Bourgeois
Paul Hastings LLP
Paul Hastings LLP 's Jean-Louis Martin is key adviser to the National Rugby League whom he regularly assists with the sale of TV broadcasting rights.
Practice head(s):
Jean-Louis Martin
Testimonials
‘The firm has proven expertise in the field of sport media rights.’
Key clients
Ligue Nationale de Rugby
Upswing
Work highlights
- Assisted Ligue Nationale de Rugby with the sale to Canal+ of the global television broadcasting rights for the Top 14 rugby championship.
- Assisted France-based marketing agency Upswing with marketing rights negotiations with the European Athletics Federation regarding the European Athletics Championships in Berlin in 2020 and in Paris in 2022.