Sheridans

Sheridans' industry-recognised Sports Law group comprises lawyers who provide legal and commercial advice exclusively within the sports sector. The Group works with and within a number of sports, including football, cricket, basketball, tennis, athletics, golf, rugby union and league, table tennis, cycling, badminton and netball, and regularly advises clients (both in the UK and internationally) on all commercial matters relating to sports law.

Types of work include:

• the creation, acquisition, licensing and protection of media rights to premium sports properties;
• the structuring, acquisition and sale of major sports sponsorship programmes;
• domestic and international merchandise licensing programmes for sports brands;
• the protection and exploitation of image rights;
• event organisation, management, venue hire and participation agreements; 
• governance and regulatory advice  (including drafting sporting rules, regulations, policies and constitutional documents);
• anti doping; 
• sports discipline;
• dispute resolution (including litigation, arbitration and mediation).

The Group's enviable client base includes domestic and international governing bodies, sports rights owners and agencies, broadcasters, sponsors, merchandising licensees, as well as clubs, teams and individual athletes.  The Group's in-depth knowledge and experience of the sports market, and its consistently commercial approach, enables it to add real insight and value to clients and their objectives within the sector. The Legal 500 describes Sheridans as "a go-to practice for media and sponsorship rights in football and athletics, as well as rugby union and cricket" and comments that its team provides "an exceptional combination of top level legal work with commercial acumen." Chambers and Partners recognise Sheridans' particular "expertise" and "prowess" for sports media work.