Boies Schiller Flexner is the choice for the world’s premier sports and gaming organizations seeking counsel in litigation and commercial matters, as well as for strategic business advice. Our partners have served as lead counsel, co-lead counsel, and trial counsel in major cases pertaining to antitrust law, media rights, general business issues, and other critical areas within the sector. We have represented a wide range of clients at the pinnacle of the industry, including the New York Yankees and the YES Network, NASCAR, the NFL, the Dallas Cowboys, the Baltimore Orioles, the NBA Players Association, DraftKings, UFC, the LPGA, and the America’s Cup, among many others.
Our Sports and Gaming practice dates back to the firm’s earliest days – David Boies founded the firm with the representation of George Steinbrenner and the New York Yankees, along with Adidas, in a widely publicized antitrust suit against Major League Baseball challenging longstanding agreements between baseball clubs regarding shared licensing revenue. In addition to setting a precedent for lucrative merchandising agreements across professional sports, the case set the tone for the firm’s Sports and Gaming practice, and we have remained at the forefront of innovative sports law that challenges the status quo ever since.
Our long track record of successfully taking and winning some of the most high-profile cases in the industry – in both court and arbitration – includes O’Bannon v. NCAA, an antitrust case that challenged the modern interpretation of amateurism in college sports and highlighted the exploitation of student athletes; Kentucky Speedway v. NASCAR, an antitrust case in which our client was granted summary judgment subsequently affirmed by the Sixth Circuit Court of Appeals; our work with leagues and players unions on labor (NFL) and antitrust issues (NBA players union); media rights cases for the Yankees’ YES Network and the LPGA; DraftKings in investigations, litigation, and regulatory matters over the developing area of fantasy sports.
Additionally, our deep understanding of the unique nature of sports and gaming businesses allows us to advise our clients on a wide range of legal and business issues, including regulatory and compliance reviews, acquisitions and joint ventures, and contract work. Whether in public, high-profile litigation disputes or in straightforward business matters, our attorneys aim to strategically outflank the opposition to create successful outcomes for clients.