A leading City of London law firm

Elborne Mitchell - Solicitors

Sport

The principal point of contact for sports matters is Matthew Clark

The sports group has a long history of advising Premiership and Championship football clubs, international rugby players, cricket players, media presenters, global sport exhibitions, FIFA Tournament Organisers, Race Course Owners, the producers of sports television shows, investors, agents, and sports insurance brokers.

Our Key Practice Areas are:

Sports Finance and Ownership

  • Club Acquisitions;
  • Player Financing Schemes;
  • Stadia Financing Schemes;
  • Corporate Finance.

Event Staging and Management

  • Event Logistics;
  • Host Country Agreements;
  • International Friendly Tournaments;
  • Event Insurance;
  • Pre-Season Training Camps.

Resolution of Sports Disputes

  • Breach of FIFA Regulations;
  • Breach of FAPL Regulations;
  • Court of Arbitration of Sport;
  • Sports Mediation;
  • Personal Injury.

Media Rights

  • Mobile Telephone competitions;
  • Internet commercial revenues;
  • Television;
  • Film;
  • Broadcasting.

Stadium Development

  • Construction;
  • Naming rights;
  • Revenue streams;
  • Planning;
  • Retail developments.

Misc

  • Players contracts;
  • Brand protection;
  • Image rights;
  • Trademarks;
  • Theft of data.

The sports group, in conjunction with UEFA and FIFA tournament organisers, has recently advised European Football Federations and International Governments regarding the arranging of International Football Friendly matches. This has involved the creation of Host Country Commercial Contracts and associated insurance issues.

The interest in football club acquisitions is intensifying and our sports group is in contact with a wide variety of potential sports investors looking to develop both football and ancillary opportunities through majority share purchases. The use of prohibited substances is a growing issue across all of the sports sectors. The sports group has advised international rugby players on the application of IRB, ERC and the anti-doping WADA Regulations. The sports group remains in contact with athletes and other sports men and women in this highly contentious area of sporting regulation.

Global sports exhibitions are becoming a regular feature in every sports calendar. Our sports group has advised the most prominent and FIFA backed football exhibition which enters into a wide variety of commercial agreements with International Governments; the commercial work we cover involves all aspects of arranging national and international forums regularly attended by Premiership Clubs, representatives from The Football Association, representatives from the Football League, and other high profile sports businesses.

Matthew Clark can be contacted on:
+44 207 320 9159 (DD)
or
+44 779 365 2154 (M)