Showcasing particularly expertise in naming rights deals for sports stadiums, clubs and teams, Bryan Cave Leighton Paisner proficiently handles a range of mergers, acquisitions and sponsorship matters in the sports industry. The group is also strong in arbitration, mediation, and bankruptcy litigation, including industry specific litigation such as concussion litigation within college and professional football. Ryan Davis in St Louis and Steven Smith in Colorado Springs are the duo leading the team and both act in cross-border acquisitions of sports entities, as well as in contractual and class action disputes. Davis in particular is key for the group’s activity in naming rights, sponsorship and media deals. Douglas Mishkin is a go-to for matters related to US gambling laws, while Richard Young in Colorado Springs has a particularly strong reputation in anti-doping matters.
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Testimonials
Collated independently by Legal 500 research team.
- 'They are personable and relatable. They explain things in a manner that is easy to understand. Very trustworthy with confidential information.'
- 'They are long-standing colleagues and that's invaluable. Steve Smith and Suzanne Crespo are a joy to work with. Anthony George is clear, direct, and friendly.'
Key clients
- 31 National Hockey League Clubs
- Major League Baseball (MLB)
- Major League Soccer (MLS)
- National Football League
- National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA)
- Various corporate sponsors, including Acrisure, Airbnb, Dolby, and Energizer
- Various sports organizations including Ladies’ Professional Golf Association
- Big West Conference
- The United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee
- Various Minor League Baseball Clubs
Work highlights
- Represented NCAA in a significant jury trial for the NCAA in the notoriously difficult venue of Philadelphia.
- Represented USOPC and the U.S. Figure Skating Federation (USFS), in a CAS appeal by the Russian Skating Federation, Russian Olympic Committee (ROC) and its skating team from the 2022 Beijing Olympic Games of the International Skating Union’s (ISU) decision to take the gold medal from the ROC and award it to the U.S. team.
- Represented Sportradar in multiple transactional matters – mostly recently including its high-profile agreement to acquire the business assets of XLMedia.
Lawyers
Leading partners
The strongest partners in their field, leading on market-leading deals and endorsed by peers and clients alike.
Practice head
Ryan Davis; Steve Smith
Other key lawyers
Anthony George; Christopher Schmidt; Suzanne Crespo; Rich Young; Jonathan Potts