Abigail Carpenter

Abigail Carpenter is a senior associate in the Entertainment, Media, & Sports Practice. She is a senior commercial lawyer with over a decade of experience advising on high-profile deals across the global sports industry. Prior to joining the firm, she served as a business affairs executive for Creative Artists Agency (CAA Sports).

Abigail advises brands, rightsholders, and sportspeople on a broad range of commercial contracts. She has deep experience working with Formula 1 drivers, Premier League footballers, and global sports stars, providing guidance on on-track driving agreements, on-field transfers, and off-field image rights agreements and structures, as well as partnership and endorsement deals. Abigail has also advised brands and rightsholders across various sports on partnerships, including jersey patch sponsorships, stadium naming rights, and large international event activations. In addition, she has supported sports broadcasters with media rights acquisitions, presenter agreements, and distribution and carriage deals.

Concentrations

• Commercial contracts

• Rights agreements

• Partnership and endorsement deals

• Sponsorship and naming rights

• Media rights acquisitions and presenter agreements

• Distribution and carriage deals

Experience

Representative Matters

• Acted on two global cryptocurrency exchange platforms on their partnership agreements with Formula 1 teams.°

• Advised a Formula 1 driver on his move between teams, and subsequent departure from a team, ensuring maximum pay out for early termination of his contract.°

• Advised a large technology company on their global Formula 1 partnership, including all elements of their guest hospitality programmes and pop-up activations in market.°

• Advised several racing drivers on their driving contracts, options and waivers across Formula 1, Formula 2, Formula 3, academy, and GT3 teams.°

• Advised two leading brands on their stadium naming right deals with national rugby stadia.°

• Advised Premier League and WSL football clubs and brands on various front of shirt, sleeve, shirt manufacturing, and global partnership agreements.°

• Advised football players on their transfers to various Premier League football clubs, including image rights agreements and set-up of image rights structures in line with multi-jurisdictional tax and corporate guidance.°

• Retained by various footballers, racing drivers, golfers, and Olympians on partnership and endorsement agreements, including the interaction of partnerships with club or team sponsors, image rights, and boot deals, and Rule 40 and local IOCs.°

• Advised numerous car brands on their partnerships across golf, tennis, and sailing properties, activating on the ground at and around events.°

• Advised two Asian smartphone manufacturers on their first sports partnerships across Europe, including activations in stadia and influencer partnerships.°

• Advised a Saudi Arabian Giga-Project on their partnership with a major sports tournament, including partnering with on the ground agencies in market and assisting with cross-continental competition and promotions.°

• Advised a Dubai-based mass participation event on their partnership agreement with a major sports manufacturer.°

• Advised a major insurance brand on a partnership with a London-based mass participation sports event, from early-stage idea through to contract and all legal elements of the partnership activation over several years of the event, including employee engagement activities, exhibitor stand builds and pop up activations, brand ambassadors and influencer partnerships, and event day engagement.°

• Advised a major UK broadcaster on RFP responses and media rights agreements with, amongst others, the Premier League, UEFA Champions League, Cricket Australia, Premiership Rugby, and UFC.°

• Advised a major UK broadcaster on presenter and ambassador agreements.°

• Advised a major UK broadcaster on channel carriage arrangements with a platform as well as playout and advertising arrangements for the channel.°

• Advised a Premier League footballer’s charitable foundation on their flagship annual event promoting children’s involvement in sport, including acquiring a Premier League club training ground, media and brand partnerships.°

°The above representations were handled by Ms. Carpenter prior to her joining Greenberg Traurig Limited.

In-House Experience

• Business Affairs Executive, CAA Sports, 2018-2025

• Commercial Lawyer, BT Sport, 2015-2018

• Secondment, Sony Pictures Entertainment, 2015

• Legal Assistant, Watson Pharmaceuticals, 2012

Recognition & Leadership

Awards & Accolades

• Selected, Sport Industry, "NextGen Leader," 2018

• Selected, WeAreTheCity, "Rising Stars in Sport," 2018