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Sports Law and Sports Facilities
Katten's Sports Law and Sports Facilities Practice provides legal services to a wide array of participants in the sports industry, including professional and minor league franchises, prospective owners, arena/stadium developers and operators, financial institutions, regional sports networks, government entities, universities and corporate sponsors.
We counsel clients regarding all aspects of the business of sports, including player and management issues, compliance with league rules and developments in league policies, television and radio broadcast agreements, sponsorship agreements, including naming rights deals, intellectual property and Internet issues, and all aspects of arena/stadium construction, financing and operations, including ticketing arrangements, concession deals, event agreements and suite licenses. In addition, we have represented players and franchises in litigation and related investigative matters, including civil and criminal matters, internal investigations into patterns and practices, and player/agent arbitrations.
Our experience includes representing MLB, NBA, MLS, NHL, ECHL and USHL franchises, as well as several arenas/stadiums. We have used this experience to represent several clients in their pursuit of purchasing or selling sports franchises in these leagues, as well as in the AFL and the NBA Development League. Katten has served as outside general counsel for the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls since their acquisition by Jerry Reinsdorf in the 1980s. The firm also serves as outside general counsel for the Golden State Warriors, Oakland A's, Chicago Fire and Philadelphia Union.
Professionals
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Chicago
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Charlotte
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Chicago
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Chicago
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Chicago
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Chicago
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Chicago
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Chicago
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Chicago
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May 24, 2013
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December 20, 2012
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December 11, 2012
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July 18, 2012
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July 17, 2012
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June 7, 2012
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December 27, 2011
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June 10, 2011
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June 6, 2011
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April 11, 2011
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Febraury 22, 2011
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November 15, 2010
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2009
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March 3, 2008
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July 6, 2006
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July 3, 2006
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November 12, 2012
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Chicago, Illinois
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August 04, 2012
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Chicago, Illinois
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Detroit Pistons and Palace of Auburn Hills.
Represented the Pistons and Palace in connection with the sale of the team and the arena, including negotiating and documenting the sale, retained equity, indebtedness and NBA approval of the transaction. Represent sellers in post-closing matters
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Golden State Warriors.
Represented purchaser in acquiring the Golden State Warriors, including negotiating and documenting the acquisition, the equity structure, the bank financing and the NBA’s approval of the transaction. Represented the Warriors in connection with the new long-term rights agreement for the broadcast of its games on Comcast SportsNet Bay Area, new head coach’s and other basketball and non-basketball operations personnel’s employment agreements, participation in NBA’s League-Wide Credit Facility, refinancing of acquisition debt financing and raising equity. Represented team in acquisition of NBA Development League’s Dakota Wizards and its relocation to Santa Cruz. Represent the team in its major sponsorship deals and new arena activities.
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Oakland Athletics.
Represented purchaser in acquiring the Oakland Athletics, including negotiating and documenting the acquisition, the equity structure, the bank financing and MLB’s approval of the transaction. Represented the A’s in connection with participating in MLB’s League-Wide Credit facility, refinancing its bank credit facility and a new radio broadcast agreement. Represented the A’s in connection with the new long-term rights agreement for the broadcast of its games on Comcast SportsNet California. Represent the A’s in connection with issues related to proposed new home stadium.
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St. Louis Blues.
Represented the owners of the St. Louis Blues and the Savvis Center in connection with various day-to-day business matters and the sale of the team and operating rights to the arena, including negotiating and documenting the sale, the redemption of bonds used to finance the construction of the arena and the NHL’s approval of the transaction.
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Chicago White Sox.
Represented the White Sox in the naming rights deal with U.S. Cellular for the team’s home stadium in Chicago and their radio broadcast agreements. Represented the White Sox, and worked closely with counsel for the Los Angeles Dodgers, in connection with negotiating and drafting documents related to the development and use of the new two-team spring training facility built by the City of Glendale, Arizona. Represented the White Sox in connection with early termination of its spring training deal with Pima County in order to start playing at the new Glendale facility in 2009. Represented the White Sox in connection with financing provided to minor league affiliate and extension of concessions and novelties agreements. Represent the team in its major sponsorship deals.
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Chicago Bulls, United Center and Chicago Blackhawks.
Represent the Bulls, Blackhawks and United Center in their major sponsorship deals. Represented the Bulls in connection with their radio broadcast agreements. Represented the Bulls in connection with their participation in the NBA’s League-Wide Credit Facility and new head coach’s employment agreement.
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Time Warner Cable.
Represented Time Warner Cable in connection with negotiating and documenting long-term rights agreements for the broadcast of the Los Angeles Lakers and Los Angeles Galaxy games on new English and Spanish regional sports networks that were launched in October 2012. Represent Time Warner Cable in connection with negotiating and documenting rights agreements with other sports teams and college conferences.
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Chicago Fire and Toyota Park.
Represented the Fire in connection with jersey sponsorship agreement, gift card agreement and other sponsorship agreements, as well as various deals regarding their former star player, Cuauhtemoc Blanco. Represented the Fire in connection with their television broadcast agreement, collaboration agreement with an international soccer team and head coach’s agreement. Represented Toyota Park in connection with event, suite and club seat license agreements.
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Philadelphia Union and PPL Park.
Represented ownership that acquired the operating rights for the new MLS expansion team in Philadelphia, including negotiating and documenting the expansion agreement with MLS and the purchaser’s equity structure. Represented the Union and PPL Park in connection with their first founding sponsor agreements, naming rights agreement and television broadcast agreement. Represented the team and stadium in connection with debt financing transaction with Comcast Spectacor and entering into stadium management, event booking, concessions and ticketing agreements with Comcast affiliates. Represented the team in connection with raising capital and new head coach’s and other soccer and non-soccer operations personnel’s employment agreements.
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Comcast SportsNet Chicago.
Represented the Chicago White Sox and Chicago Bulls, and worked closely with counsel for the Chicago Blackhawks and Chicago Cubs, in connection with the formation of a regional sports network with Comcast Corporation. The teams are owners of, and licensors of games to, the network (Comcast SportsNet Chicago), which began broadcasting in the fall of 2004. Also represented the White Sox and Bulls in connection with their over-the-air television agreements with WGN.
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iStar Financial.
Represented iStar in connection with its debt financing for construction of a new stadium for the Real Salt Lake MLS team.
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Citibank.
Represented Citibank in connection with serving as an advisor to an NHL team and entering into a relationship with the League. Represented Citibank as financial advisor to an NBA team.
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LaSalle Bank NA.
Represented LaSalle in connection with its participation in the bank debt syndicate for the financing of the Cleveland Cavaliers.
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Comcast.
Represented Comcast in connection with negotiating and documenting a rights agreement for the broadcast of games of the San Jose Sharks.
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IFG.
Represented manager of the Stockton Arena in connection with arena management agreement, team leases, ticketing agreement, concessions agreement, suite licenses, sponsorship agreements and arena use agreements for events.
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San Jose Earthquakes.
Represented the owners of the operating rights to the MLS team in connection with documenting their rights and obligations as a new MLS expansion team and entering into a television broadcast agreement. Represented the team with respect to revising its capital structure. Representing the team in connection with development of its new home stadium.
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Sportsco International, LP.
Represented owner and food service provider of the Skydome in connection with the formation of a joint venture with Levy Restaurants and Compass Group Canada for suite catering.
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Arena/Stadium Construction and Financing.
Represented various clients in construction and financing of the United Center (Chicago), U.S. Cellular Field (Chicago), Miller Park (Milwaukee), BI-LO Center (Greenville, South Carolina), Rose Garden (Portland, Oregon) and Verizon Wireless Arena (Manchester, New Hampshire).
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Prospective Acquirors:
- Represented a bidder for the San Diego Padres.
- Represented a bidder for the Los Angeles Dodgers.
- Represented a party interested in buying an NHL team and constructing a new arena.
- Represented a party interested in buying an NBA team and constructing a new arena.
- Represented a bidder to purchase the Phoenix Coyotes out of bankruptcy.
- Represented a bidder for the Texas Rangers.
- Represented one of the bidders for the Chicago Cubs.
- Represented a group that made a bid to purchase the Pittsburgh Penguins.
- Represented several parties that have made bids to purchase other NHL teams.
- Represented one of the bidders for the Washington Nationals, which was sold by MLB.
- Represented a group that made a bid to purchase the Milwaukee Brewers.
- Represented a party that made bids to purchase two NBA teams and operating rights for the teams’ home arenas.
- Represented a potential purchaser of a UK soccer team.
- Represented a potential purchaser of an interest in an NHL team.
- Represented a party in connection with its proposed purchase of an AFL team and an NBA Development League team.
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Stockton Hockey Franchise Group, Inc.
Represented client in its acquisition of the Atlantic City Boardwalk Bullies ECHL hockey franchise, as well as its relocation of the franchise to Stockton, California. Represented client in its sale of the Stockton Thunder.
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Fresno State.
Represented university in connection with the naming rights deal for its home basketball arena and events center.
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Miller Brewing.
Represented Miller in connection with its sponsorship agreement with the Chicago Bears, pursuant to which Miller became one of the Bears’ select Hall of Fame Sponsors.
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