Top tips for sports executives approaching employment contract negotiations

As the high-profile case of Dan Ashworth, Newcastle’s sporting director - who is presently being held on garden leave and prevented from taking up his new role at Manchester United^[1] - demonstrates, the contractual terms agreed by a sports executive can later come to bite them at the point of exit. Similarly, Red Bull Racing’s Chief Technical Officer, Adrian Newey, is said to be trying to secure an early release from his restrictions with Red Bull Racing^[2] after reportedly falling out with colleagues.

This article will be of help to sports executives approaching employment contract negotiation and covers:

• Areas of focus for negotiation
• Tip 1 – Probation and notice periods
• Tip 2 – Beware of employer flexibility when it comes to job title!
• Tip 3 – Consider board rights
• Tip 4 – Look at your total compensation package: the devil is in the detail, not the numbers
• Tip 5 – Do the post-termination restrictions go too far?
• Tip 6 – Think about your outside activities: Conflicts of interest