Media, Entertainment & Sport

Most of our media and entertainment work naturally arises in the context of our core commercial and regulatory practice areas.

We have wide experience of dealing with commercial contracts between media organisations and companies, agencies, managers, promoters, trade associations, as well as disputes relating to media coverage rights.

Our members have previously advised various TV production companies on contractual football coverage rights, as well as individual players on image rights and their protection. In addition, we have acted for Premiership and lower league football clubs and have mediated between them and sponsors over their media obligations.

Our sports work is also heavily based on our core practice areas. The COVID-19 pandemic led to a large number of sponsorship disputes between sponsors, governing bodies and teams involving the effect of force majeure clauses and the principles of the law of frustration.

We have advised on disputes in almost every sport; from football, rugby union, Formula One motor racing and cricket to tennis, show-jumping and polo. We have also acted for industry bodies such as Sport England and in cases involving sports law and finance, such as in the long-running Olympic Park dispute involving West Ham United, Leyton Orient, and Tottenham Hotspur.

We also have extensive experience of advising on confidential and sensitive matters in this area.

Our work includes cases relating to:

• Commercial contracts
• Sponsorship disputes particularly arising out of COVID-19 issues
• Fraud claims
• Professional negligence claims
• Regulatory disputes
• Intellectual property including copyright, royalties, trademark issues and image rights