Overview
The lawyers in Calfee’s Sports and Entertainment Law practice are leaders in their field – we have the right background, experience and range of practices needed to fully represent an individual, team or business in this competitive industry. We understand our clients’ unique challenges and can provide tailored legal solutions for a variety of situations.
Comprised of practitioners well-versed in investments, corporate and finance, intellectual property, real estate, estate planning, and litigation, we are virtually a one-stop shop. Operating for over 120 years, our full-service law firm provides enhanced value and sophisticated service (with Midwest sensibility and sensitivity) as compared to other entertainment firms located in larger cities.
Our experience in this area includes, but is not limited to, the following:
- Negotiating sponsorship and Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL) agreements.
- Negotiating the terms of private investments by celebrity clients.
- Acting as bond and/or underwriter’s counsel for stadium and similar financings.
- Representing clients in the purchase or sale of media and entertainment-related businesses.
- Providing trademark clearance, prosecution and enforcement for celebrities and their brands.
Our clients’ success is our firm's highest priority. Our roster includes representation of sports teams, individuals, talent agencies and media companies. We pride ourselves on being incredibly responsive – both in terms of collaborative client communication and in understanding the unique needs of our clients – and you can count on Calfee to maintain the utmost discretion with respect to sensitive legal matters.
Professionals
Professionals
Experience
Experience
Content/Media
- Represented 3 Arts Sports in connection with the successful negotiation of a $100+ million podcast deal with Amazon’s Wondery for exclusive ad sales and distribution rights of the NFL stars’ weekly podcast, “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce.”
- Negotiated the terms of an agreement providing for the production of “Kelce Jam,” a music festival hosted by Travis Kelce.
- Negotiated agreements related to sponsorships for major music festivals.
Mergers and Acquisitions
- Represented the owners of 3 Arts Sports (previously A&A Management Group, LLC) in connection with the sale of 3 Arts Sports to 3 Arts Entertainment, LLC, a subsidiary of Lionsgate.
- Represented Garage Beer Holdco, LLC (an entity through which the Kelce group holds equity interests in Garage Beer) in connection with a significant growth investment in Garage Beer by Durational Capital Management.
- Represented 3 Arts Sports and NFL star Travis Kelce in connection with his investor partnership in Sleep Number, a leader in smart bed technology.
- Represented a full-service media management firm in connection with the acquisition of a majority interest in a podcast production company responsible for a well-known podcast hosted by professional basketball personalities.
- Represented a sports and entertainment firm in connection with “acqui-hire” transactions.
- Negotiated and reviewed documents in connection with the sale of a Midwest professional sports team.
Intellectual Property
- Represented the Office of the Commissioner of Major League Baseball and the Cleveland Guardians in connection with trademark enforcement.
- Provided trademark clearance, prosecution, and enforcement for celebrities, including in connection with the “New Heights with Jason and Travis Kelce” podcast.
- Negotiated the terms of an arrangement with Golden West Food Group to create “Travis Kelce’s Kitchen.”
- Represented TJF Golf (owned by golf course designer Tom Fazio) in connection with trademark prosecution and enforcement.
- Represented Judith Martin dba “Miss Manners,” a celebrity and author of books and columns on etiquette, in connection with trademark prosecution.
Real Estate
- Assisted current and former professional athletes with multiple acquisitions of commercial properties.
- Provide ongoing assistance with the management of various real properties on behalf of professional athletes, including negotiating yearly service agreements for management services and contracts for construction and maintenance services for client properties.
- Assisted clients with purchases and sales of numerous high-end residential properties located throughout the U.S.
Finance
- Represented underwriter’s counsel in connection with the initial public offering of securities of a Major League Baseball team.
- Represented underwriter’s counsel in the financing of a $50 million expansion of the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame.
- Acted as bond counsel for the financing of a football stadium for a state university in Ohio.
- Served as underwriter’s counsel in the $45.415 million financing of a stadium and sports park project in Columbus, Ohio.
- Acted as bond counsel for the financing and refinancing of a baseball stadium to be used by both a city and an independent professional baseball team in Ohio.
- Served as bond counsel in connection with the financing of capital improvements to a professional baseball stadium and professional basketball arena.
- Served as bond counsel in connection with the financing of a $250 million professional soccer stadium in Cincinnati, Ohio.
- Represented underwriter’s counsel in connection with the financing of public improvements associated with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village.
Services
Services
Corporate and Business
We represent both sports and entertainment firms as well as athletes and entertainers themselves in connection with a variety of business agreements, including:
- Sponsorship deals (including with blue-chip brands such as Microsoft, Pfizer, Sony and American Eagle).
- Name, Image and Likeness (NIL) agreements for Division I power-conference college athletes.
- Representation agreements between sports and entertainment firms and athletes/entertainers.
Additionally, we represent clients in this space in connection with the sale or acquisition of related businesses.
Finance and Investments
We represent sports and entertainment clients in connection with significant private investments in various well-known businesses and professional sports teams, including investments in:
- Garage Beer
- Olipop
- RealTruck
- Club Car Wash
- Accelerator Active Energy
- Casa Azul Spirits
- A Midwest professional sports team
- The Alpine F1 Team
We also often act as bond and underwriter's counsel in sports-related financial transactions, including stadium financings and public finance bond issues.
Content and Media
We represent clients in connection with the licensing and production of content and media, such as popular podcasts and music festivals.
Intellectual Property
We advise our clients in connection with trademark, licensing, and brand protection; sponsorship and endorsement agreements; digital media and content distribution; content creation agreements; and technology and software licensing.
Real Estate
The attorneys in our Real Estate practice represent sophisticated business entities and individuals engaged in mergers, acquisitions, and divestitures of real estate investments and assets.
We often assist high net worth/ultra-high net worth and celebrity clients with:
- Reviewing and negotiating residential construction contracts.
- Reviewing and negotiating services contracts, leases, management contracts, and other real estate-related contracts, easements, and agreements for residential commercial properties located throughout the U.S.
- Counseling on day-to-day real estate issues related to commercial and residential properties located throughout the U.S.
Estate Planning and Administration
We represent individuals involved in the sports and entertainment industry in connection with estate planning and related personal matters.
Additionally, our attorneys often work closely with high net worth individuals in the Wealth Management space. We offer practical solutions to issues created by complicated business and/or career structures commonly found in the sports and entertainment world. With success often comes challenges, and our team stands ready to guide our clients through ever-evolving matters related to family, investments, and business interests.
Litigation
We represent sports and entertainment-related figures in litigation or in connection with government inquiries or investigations. For example, we have represented clients in matters related to the protection of their rights in connection with government investigations into alleged crimes committed by third parties that victimized our clients.