Perspectives on Sports

Recently, Major League Baseball (MLB) informed teams that cannabidiol (CBD) sponsorships were no longer off limits and that they were free to pursue sponsorships in the CBD category under certain conditions. CBD companies will also no longer be prohibited from airing commercials during MLB games.

The Metaverse stands to disrupt nearly every industry – fashion, media and entertainment, real estate, sports, the list goes on – presenting immense possibilities and potential risks. We have created the ArentFox Schiff Industry Guide to the Metaverse to answer questions and anticipate concerns.

On August 3, 2022, eleven suspended PGA Tour members filed a complaint [1] in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California (the “Court”) against PGA Tour, Inc. (the “Tour”), alleging violation of federal and California state antitrust laws.

The Ohio State University has successfully obtained a trademark registration for the word “THE,” which has been the university’s moniker and rallying cry at sporting events for decades. The trademark registration covers “clothing, namely, t-shirts, baseball caps and hats.

The interactive tools that the metaverse offers are a perfect complement to a crucial component of the sports industry: fan engagement. And with an influx of industry players establishing a presence in the metaverse, the way we consume sports may transform sooner than we think.

The 2022 edition of Legal 500 US has rated 77 ArentFox Schiff attorneys as national leaders in their field. In addition, 19 of the firm’s practice areas were ranked among the best in the country.

The 2022 edition of Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 66 ArentFox Schiff attorneys as leaders in their field.

On March 10, Major League Baseball (MLB) and the MLB Players Association agreed to terms on a new collective bargaining agreement, ending a 99-day lockout that was the first official MLB work stoppage since 1994. Both sides agreed to allow MLB teams to sell advertising positions on team jerseys.

Download Our Summary of the Most Important Cases.

Twenty-five Arent Fox LLP practices have been recognized in the 2022 “Best Law Firms” rankings that are published annually by US News & World Report and Best Lawyers.

Arent Fox Sports Practice Leader Richard L. Brand, Corporate & Securities Leader Steven A. Cohen, and Sports and Corporate & Securities Partner William Z. Ordower have been named Power Players by Sports Business Journal in their rankings of the sports industry’s best outside counsel.

Many may not realize that the synonymous phrase “Play Like a Champion Today” could be trademarked by a private company. In this case, the phrase has been registered by Play Like A Champion Today LLC (PLACT) and PLACT has licensed the phrase for Notre Dame merchandise. 

Schiff Hardin LLP guided SportsMap Tech Acquisition Corp., a Houston-based special purpose acquisition company focused on transactions in the sports tech space, in its $115 million initial public offering.

Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) rights for college and high school athletes remains a hot topic as we enter the start of the academic year. Many sponsors and professional teams see a number of intriguing reasons to partner with student athletes. These reasons range from expanding long-standing suppor

Sixty-nine Arent Fox LLP attorneys have been rated as leaders in their profession by The Best Lawyers in America 2022.

The sharp increase in deal volume and consumer demand, coupled with an uncertain regulatory future and the lack of a developed market framework for dealmaking all combine to create a potent risk/reward cocktail for brands and sports teams looking to launch NFT programs.

Arent Fox LLP served as outside counsel to Credit Karma, a consumer technology company, in a multi-year jersey patch sponsorship with the Houston Rockets that highlights its new Credit Karma Money platform.

In a move that significantly departs from the NCAA’s strict stance against college athletes’ ability to capitalize on their name, image, and likeness (NIL), the NCAA Board of Directors approved interim policy changes on Wednesday, June 30, 2021, which suspend NCAA enforcement of NIL rule violations

The 2021 edition of Legal 500 US has rated 49 Arent Fox LLP attorneys as national leaders in their field. In addition, 16 of the firm’s practice areas were ranked among the best in the country.

The Los Angeles Lakers and AEG, the owners of STAPLES Center, have signed a long-term lease extension ensuring that the defending World Champions will remain in their downtown Los Angeles home arena through the 2041 season.

Chambers USA: America’s Leading Lawyers for Business has recognized 42 Arent Fox LLP attorneys as leaders in their field.

The adoption of blockchain can be seen across many industries, but perhaps nowhere is it happening faster than in the sports sector.

Arent Fox LLP served as outside counsel to Total Quality Logistics, the largest privately held freight brokerage firm in the nation, in a naming rights transaction for the home of Cincinnati’s MLS Team.

Schiff Hardin LLP advised Esports Technologies, Inc. in its initial public offering.

Non-fungible tokens or NFTs are digital assets that run on blockchain. The value of NFTs largely stems from the idea of scarcity.