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Sport, entertainment and media

Our team is widely recognised as one of the UK's leading sport, entertainment and media law practices, acting for the biggest names in the industry - at home and overseas.

The team of sport, entertainment and media lawyers have unrivalled depth in the sport, entertainment and media industry and operates from all our seven UK offices. We've built a strong reputation based on providing clients with a wealth of experience and a personal and engaging approach.

We're one of the few truly international sport, entertainment and media law teams based in the UK, with an unrivalled network of overseas firms that we collaborate with. 

We understand the need to provide timely, commercial, and pragmatic advice that adds value, by addressing our clients’ unique challenges, seizing opportunities, and ensuring their success in this competitive landscape.

A little about sport, entertainment and media

Our sport, entertainment and media solicitors are recognised for our deep industry expertise, international reach, and client-focused approach, as we offer comprehensive legal support across all relevant disciplines, due to the full-service and holistic nature of our practice.

Unrivalled industry expertise: Deep understanding of the perspective of a broad range of industry stakeholders gained from decades of experience in the sport, entertainment and media sectors.

International reach: Strong global network and collaboration with overseas firms who are also industry specialists.

Comprehensive legal support: Expertise across all relevant disciplines, from commercial agreements, employment issues, competition law, to sport arbitration.

Client-centric approach: Personalised and engaging service which is tailored to our clients’ specific needs. We provide advice that offers practical solutions, empowering our clients to achieve their goals and navigate challenges with confidence.

High-profile clients: Representing household name clients, including Premier League clubs, managers and players, international sporting federations, and leading media companies and talent.

Our experience

Our experts have developed a deep understanding of your sector so you can feel safe in the knowledge of having specialists in your corner.

We have decades of experience advising on sport, entertainment and media matters. Here are some highlights:

  • Integrity and governance: Representing elite athletes and sporting bodies in anti-doping matters.
  • Commercial deals: Managing sponsorships, media rights, and content licensing.
  • Player transactions: Handling transfers, contract negotiations, and image rights.
  • Arbitration and litigation: Representing clients in regulatory and disciplinary matters.
  • Employment law: Defending Tribunal claims and advising on HR issues.
  • Construction projects: Supporting major sports stadia developments.
  • Reputation management: Protecting the interests of athletes and media personalities.
  • Visa sponsorship: Advising on endorsement criteria and compliance for international talent.
  • Discrimination cases: Leading landmark cases in the sports industry.
  • Intellectual property: Safeguarding creative assets and commercial interests.
  • Private client services: Managing sensitive matters for high-profile clients.
  • Corporate governance:Handling investments, acquisitions, and board restructuring.
  • Inquiries and investigations: Conducting impartial inquiries for sporting bodies.

Aside from offering focussed legal expertise, our lawyers have genuine in-depth knowledge of the sport, entertainment and media industry. Many of our team members have held senior roles as directors, trustees, arbitrators, in-house counsel, or are former professional athletes. The team is often invited to speak at conferences, lectures, and events.

Did you know?

450+ cases

Number of Court of Arbitration for Sport cases we've been involved in over the years, underscoring our unparalleled expertise and leadership in sports dispute resolution.

10+ years

We have consistently been ranked by Chambers and Legal 500 among the top UK law firms for sport, entertainment and media law, reflecting our reputation and excellence in the field.

80%+ pass rate

For the agents who trained with us on our dedicated online training platform, demonstrating the effectiveness and quality of our comprehensive training programs.  

What our clients say about us

  • Mills & Reeve have supported me, on and off the field, and are great to work with. They think outside the box and have recommended ways to protect my image and brand that are forward thinking.
    Cole Palmer
    Chelsea F.C. and England football player
  • I have appointed Mills & Reeve after competitive tendering exercises in previous roles in sport and they have advised me across a wide range of issues. They have an excellent grasp of the law and how to apply it to the sport sector. The advice has always been first class, and the firm appears to place high value on customer experience. I was delighted to ‘inherit’ Mills & Reeve when appointed to my current role.
    Rod Findlay
    General Counsel, Birmingham City FC
  • Mills & Reeve has been a great support with all my personal legal needs on contractual and commercial work. Mills & Reeve has also been important to the negotiation and execution of the England Women Central Contracts.
    Steph Houghton MBE
    Former England and Manchester City women's footballer and captain
  • Due to their high levels of expertise and market know-how, the lawyers always have very strong commercial awareness.
    Chambers
  • An excellent all-round sports law practice focused on high quality legal advice to deliver the business' objectives at a reasonable rate.
    Legal 500
  • Their flexibility and broad expertise over a lot of different elements of the law - not only sports - is of a really high standard.
    Chambers

Our clients

  • Elite Sporting clubs: Liverpool FC, Manchester City FC, Rangers FC, Leicester Tigers.
  • Talent: including elite athletes (professional footballers, golfers, rugby players and Olympians), musicians, actors, writers and influencers.
  • Players' Unions: The PFA, Rugby Players' Association, Professional Golfers Association.
  • International Federations and National Governing Bodies: International Paralympic Committee, International Tennis Integrity Agency, Commonwealth Games Federation, England Golf.
  • Arbitration and mediation panels: CAS, Sports Resolutions, SAAC, National Anti-Doping Panel, The FA, and FIFA.
  • Live entertainment promoters and venue owners: such as Broadwick Group.
  • Technology companies that provide solutions and services to the sport, entertainment and media industries: such as Kaboodle Ticketing. 

Reevaldo

Explore the dynamic world of football with our webpage which offers a unique glimpse into the intricacies of the football industry, from transfers and contract negotiations to image rights and agent dealings. Whether you’re a player, agent, or club - dive in, meet the characters, read our stories, and discover how we can support your journey in the sports world.

Lawful Disruption

This series explores the impact of new digital regulations on the media and creative industries, focusing on laws addressing fake news, deep fakes, and fake reviews. It examines how these regulations will disrupt digital content creation, consumption, and marketing, highlighting challenges and opportunities from AI and new technologies. 

Legal expertise in women's sport

Our specialist legal service (The Equaliser) is aimed at supporting the growth of women’s sports. It offers free preliminary consultations, providing one hour of initial advice via phone or face-to-face. The service is led by an experienced team in women’s sport law, offering expert legal advice. 

Sports blog

Our sports law blog provides legal insights and updates on the key issues affecting the sports industry.

Our expertise

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FAQs

Mills & Reeve stands out due to our unrivalled industry expertise, international reach, and full-service legal support. Our team of sport, entertainment and media solicitors, includes former professional athletes, directors, trustees, and arbitrators, providing in-depth industry knowledge. We build strong client relationships through personalised service, free education, and thought leadership.

A question of sport and insurance

Legal content focussing on topical issues for professional sports clubs, governing bodies and agents, and their insurers.

Sports Score

We send quarterly industry related updates to our clients and contacts. If you would like to be a part of the mailing list, please contact us.

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