Practice Areas & Industries: Barnes & Thornburg LLP

Practice/Industry Group Overview

More than 40 attorneys comprise Barnes & Thornburg LLP’s Sports and Entertainment Practice Group, which serves clients in all aspects of professional sports and the entertainment industry. The sports and entertainment industries are global and so is Barnes & Thornburg’s practice. Our sports and entertainment clients include:

• Municipalities in connection with development, financing and construction of sports facilities
• Developers and owners of sports and entertainment facilities and stadiums
• On-air television and radio talent
• Professional athletes

Services Available

Barnes & Thornburg offers a full-service approach to sports figures, sports franchises, and properties. For example, the firm counsels clients in the construction or renovation of new or existing stadiums and arenas and their related ADA, real estate, finance, tax and environmental issues. Moreover, our attorneys have experience in the licensing of individuals’ and sports entities’ intellectual property, including broadcast and merchandising rights. Our experience includes:

• Representing municipalities in attracting sports franchises
• Negotiating the construction of sporting and entertainment facilities through equity or debt financing
• Negotiating player contracts and endorsement agreements for professional athletes
• Negotiating executive contracts, including coaching contracts
• Representing clients relative to sponsorships and promotions of sporting events
• Representing clients in ADA compliance issues surrounding sports facilities

Barnes & Thornburg's entertainment practice offers a spectrum of legal services to companies and individuals throughout the entertainment industry. We represent entertainment figures in the film, radio and recording industries, as well as the motion picture and television industries in all aspects of copyright protection, royalties, licensing agreements and privacy issues. We also represent television and radio figures as well as recording companies and film makers. Our experience includes:

• Advising clients regarding the formation of entities to engage in the entertainment business
• Handling the negotiation of equity investments and credit facilities
• Negotiating the construction of entertainment facilities through equity or debt financing
• Negotiating entertainer and executive contracts
• Representing clients relative to sponsorships and promotions of entertainment events
• Representing clients in ADA compliance issues of entertainment facilities
• Drafting and negotiating employment agreements for entertainers
• Counseling clients with respect to project financings
• Advising clients on labor and employment issues, including arbitration matters
• Litigating intellectual property matters and otherwise advising clients regarding intellectual property protection
• Advising clients pertaining to tax planning

We complement our Sports and Entertainment Practice Group by integrating other practice groups from our offices in Atlanta, Chicago, Delaware, Indiana, Michigan, Minneapolis, Ohio, and Washington, D.C., into our team approach for serving clients. As a result, our clients can receive directed assistance to address specific issues they face. Learn more about our work in a variety of these areas, including technology, estate planning, labor and employment, disability law and ADA facilities, and intellectual property by going to the main page of the services section.

At Barnes & Thornburg, we recognize that the practice of sports and entertainment law requires more than just a familiarity with legal principles. It involves the ability to put the right team together to address specific issues the client needs addressed. We have experience, training, and the know-how that is essential to put the right team on the field for situations that arise in the sports and entertainment industries.