"Sports law” may invoke images of basketball superstars, but top-tier legal practices in the field of sports represent a wide variety of clients seeking legal advice in many areas of the law, including commercial law, intellectual property, labor law, litigation and arbitration. The Sports Practice at Yigal Arnon & Co. is a go-to advisor in all of these areas. Furthermore, several of our partners hold senior positions in the Sports Committees of the Israel Bar Association.
Our varied client list includes club owners and purchasers, players, coaches, athletes, officials, sports federations, domestic and foreign equipment manufacturers, sports channels and broadcast rights holders. We also represent sports-related high-tech companies—for example, makers of video and smart cameras and those involved with the management and registration of leagues and teams, digital and online advertising and marketing, fan engagement, injury prevention, performance enhancement, medical equipment, smart stadiums, gaming and e-sports.
Our firm represents over 30 sports-tech startups in a wide array of fields such as fan engagement; achievement improvements; injury prevention; smart stadiums; wearables and apparel; gaming and e-sports and video and smart cameras. We connect our sports-tech clients with various sports teams and clubs and provide consultation on and assist with raising capital and securing investments. Our experienced lawyers are able to provide legal services and consultation in many areas of expertise including corporate, securities, regulation, labor, tax, antitrust, intellectual property and, when necessary, litigation.
We advise sports teams, associations and clubs, helping them with contractual and managerial issues—for example, board meetings for companies and non-for-profit organizations, the drafting of and compliance with bylaws, disciplinary rules and regulatory compliance. We also represent athletes, as well as coaches and other officials, in negotiating agreements with the largest sports teams in Israel and in arbitrations.
Our Sports Practice also represents investors in and buyers and sellers of sports teams. In addition, we advise investors in sporting ventures and funds, both in negotiating their transactions and in obtaining required permits.
Yigal Arnon & Co. helps negotiate and draft player and coach contracts, as well as sponsorship and marketing agreements, and we manage claims and arbitrations under the auspices of the Israel Football Association and the Israel Basketball Association. Our lawyers also have extensive experience representing TV sports channels in regard to the purchase of broadcast rights as well, when required, in litigation (including defending class actions).
