What is the current legal landscape for Sports Law in your jurisdiction?

The sports law landscape in the United States is undergoing a significant transformation driven by evolving legal standards, emerging technologies and a rapidly expanding commercial environment. Among the most consequential developments has been the Supreme Court’s 2025 decision in House v. NCAA permitting National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) schools to directly compensate student athletes and offer retroactive payments for past restrictions on name, image and likeness (NIL) rights and revenue sharing. Additionally, the application of Title IX – the federal civil rights law prohibiting sex-based discrimination in educational programs that receive federal funding – is being tested by the rise of NIL agreements and new revenue-sharing models that raise novel issues in connection with pay equity and resource allocation. Meanwhile, professional leagues continue to face heightened scrutiny under antitrust and media rights laws, while the rapid expansion of legalized sports betting across numerous states introduces new challenges in advertising, integrity oversight and data governance. Emerging technologies, particularly artificial intelligence, are further reshaping the industry through data analytics, performance tracking and automated decision-making, raising issues related to privacy, intellectual property and fairness in competition. Together, these developments underscore a dynamic and increasingly complex regulatory environment that demands proactive legal strategies, cross-disciplinary collaboration and adaptive compliance frameworks across the sports industry.

What three essential pieces of advice would you give to clients involved in Sports Law matters?

1. Diversify investment focus beyond team ownership. Prospective investors should look beyond majority ownership of teams and explore a wider range of opportunities within the sports ecosystem. Strategic investments in ancillary businesses – such as media, data analytics, technology platforms and event management – have the potential to generate significant value. Minority ownership positions, as well as ventures in emerging or non-traditional sports, may also provide meaningful financial and strategic returns. Additionally, public-private partnerships, particularly those tied to major stadium or infrastructure projects, offer distinctive and often underexplored avenues for investment.
2. Adopt a long-term strategic approach. Sports-related investments are typically illiquid and require patience to realize value. While the prestige of ownership can be compelling, these transactions demand a disciplined, long-term perspective. Investors should have a clear understanding of the commitment involved in such investments and establish a realistic exit strategy. Relying primarily on speculative appreciation or resale opportunities is risky; the focus should instead be on sustainable operational performance and strategic growth over time.
3. Address the full legal and regulatory landscape from the outset. Sports transactions operate at the intersection of multiple legal disciplines, including antitrust, intellectual property, insurance, financing, government regulation, media rights and sponsorship. League governance structures, compliance obligations and transfer restrictions can impose significant limitations on investment activity. Conducting comprehensive legal due diligence early in the investment process is essential to ensure regulatory compliance, mitigate risk and protect the investor’s interests throughout the lifecycle of the transaction.

What are the greatest threats and opportunities in Sports Law in the next 12 months?

In the next year, the greatest threats and opportunities in U.S. Sports Law will revolve around balancing regulatory, data privacy, litigation, and sports betting risks with the dynamic emergence of digital innovation, athlete-driven monetization (both collegiate and professional), and leagues’ new investment and business models to support growth and scaling.

The growing utilization of streaming platforms over traditional broadcast television stands out as a transformative trend that offers leagues and teams expanded revenue streams and direct-to-consumer engagement. However, this migration brings threats such as audience fragmentation, regulatory uncertainty, heightened cybersecurity risks, and potential scrutiny over exclusive streaming arrangements.

Additionally, as federal and state authorities intensify their focus on the booming—yet adolescent—multi-billion-dollar sports betting industry, sports leagues and teams will face mounting pressure to adapt and refine their strategies to safeguard the credibility of competition. The increasing sophistication of cheating and bet manipulation—expected only to rise due to enabling emerging technologies—underscores the urgent need for sports organizations, even within the next year, to continually fortify their game plan to detect insider threats and maintain consumer confidence in game integrity.

Also noteworthy are recent rule changes across U.S. sports leagues permitting private equity funds to acquire minority stakes in teams—unlocking new capital. Despite scrutiny, the momentum behind private equity investment in sports is unlikely to slow in the next year. Meanwhile, looming threats of increased litigation in collegiate sports persist as the NCAA and universities scramble to gain their footing in the creation and implementation of sound rules governing NIL and revenue-sharing deals. Moreover, the continued rise of women’s sports and esports presents new commercial and legal opportunities worth tracking in the next year—including the creation of new leagues, enhanced sponsorship, media rights, and expanded merchandising and licensing arrangements.

How do you ensure high client satisfaction levels are maintained by your practice?

As trusted counsellors and advisors, we focus not only the goals of the matter in front of us, but the overall business and legal objectives of our clients. We pride ourselves on our efficient and highly skilled teams that span over our myriad departments. This allows us to provide holistic solutions that are tailored to the long-term client goals.

Having an intricate knowledge of the sports industry is also key, because it provides a window into the entire sports ecosystem and how the clients’ individual matter fits into the larger universe of the business of sports. Our team has represented clients from nearly every facet of the United States sports industry ranging from professional teams to investors, lenders, leagues, media content companies and other key stakeholders. The depth of the bench of the team, and the decades of experience that the team has in the industry, provides an invaluable perspective in our legal and strategic advice. For many deals, we have had experience sitting on either side of the table in that type of transaction and can foresee the advantages and potential pitfalls that may present during the life cycle of that deal.

We also ensure client satisfaction through high level of responsiveness, collaboration and constant communications. Providing continuous communications with our clients ensures that matters and transactions are successfully resolved.

What technological advancements are reshaping Sports Law and how can clients benefit from them?

Technological advancements are rapidly reshaping Sports Law, presenting both significant opportunities and complex challenges for clients. Some key developments driving this transformation include:

• AI & Data Analytics: AI is revolutionizing athlete performance analysis, injury prediction, and automated content creation. For clients, these advancements open new revenue streams, such as licensing footage for AI training, while also requiring careful negotiation of safeguards to prevent data misuse. AI-driven analytics support more objective risk management and may enhance contract negotiations with athletes by providing data-backed valuation assessments. Additionally, sensor-driven analytics can enable a more curated fan experience and can optimize concessions, further increasing commercial opportunities and operational efficiency. For instance, by tracking real-time data on fan behavior and purchasing patterns, venues can personalize engagement and potentially reduce wait times and boost sales.
• Sports Betting & Monitoring Technology: With the legalization of sports betting across much of the U.S., leagues and operators are monetizing real-time data feeds and implementing integrity monitoring systems. Clients can benefit by structuring tiered data licensing agreements, deploying alert systems for suspicious betting activity, and ensuring compliance with evolving federal and state regulations to safeguard game integrity and maximize commercial value.

On October 23, 2025, current and former National Basketball Association players and a coach were among 34 people arrested and indicted on two counts for allegedly conducting rigged sports betting and poker games.  The first indictment involved a group accused of manipulating bets on NBA games using non-public information. In one case, a player is alleged to have informed associates that he would leave a February 2023 game early due to injury, allowing them to place over $200,000 in bets predicting his underperformance. He exited the game after nine minutes with a reported foot injury.

The second indictment charged 31 defendants, including an NBA coach, with operating a network of rigged high-stakes poker games connected to organized crime. Prosecutors stated that members and associates of the several organized crime families used sophisticated technology such as modified shuffling machines, contact lenses, and an X-ray table to cheat players out of approximately $7 million. Victims were reportedly lured into games by former professional athletes. Unknown to the victims, everyone surrounding them was part of the fraud, players, dealers, even the card-shuffling and chip counting machines.

• Streaming & Media Rights: The shift to digital platforms allows leagues and teams to unbundle and layer media rights (e.g., short-form highlights, archive footage). Clients can maximize returns by securing technology update clauses, protecting IP in simulcasts, and leveraging exclusive deals for specific events.
• Blockchain & Digital Collectibles: Blockchain technology enables secure and transparent ticketing systems, while NFTs offer digital collectibles that can be bundled with exclusive experiences. Through decentralized and tamper-proof ledgers, clients can prevent fraud, augment fan engagement, and implement programmable resale markets that maintain control over pricing and authenticity.