Sports

Strategic solutions tailored to the business of sport

Sports

Overview

As a leading UK adviser for private equity and M&A, as well as for commercial transactions, in the sports sector, we help clients harness value and drive results across complex, cross-border deals.

Our dedicated team combines expertise in sports, finance and private capital to provide seamless support on deal structuring, management advisory, IP exploitation, licensing, regulatory compliance and dispute resolution.

Our Sports Practice

Our clients include a varied list of organisations who repeatedly turn to us for advice. They trust and value our practical, commercial approach and in-depth sectoral knowledge combined with our ability to call on the expertise of a wider, cross-disciplinary team.

We have our finger on the pulse in the sector and understand the commercial framework which underpins contracting arrangements and management of stakeholder dynamics.

From M&A and investment opportunities, through to negotiating complex contracts, governance and litigation, if you are looking to take advantage of new markets, opportunities or technologies, our advice will help you to establish a robust framework.

What we do best is help organisations find their way in the corporate sports world to make the most of their ideas, innovations, responsibilities and investments.

Selected experience

Greenfield, the investment vehicle of Andrea Radrizzani, on the sale of their stake in Leeds United FC to 49ers Enterprises

Premiership Rugby on a major investment by CVC Capital Partners and ongoing governance matters

Sportlight Sports Group on its brand licence for racing newspaper, Racing Post

Formula 1 on its franchising of the F1 Arcade

The Wirtz family on Florian Wirtz's record-breaking transfer to Liverpool Football Club

Leicester Tigers on new financing provided by the Department for Digital, Media, Culture & Sport, as well as on a number of confidential employment and disputes matters relating to players, coaches and management executives

Force India Formula 1 team on its technical partnership with McLaren Applied Technologies and engine supply with Mercedes F1

Various Premiership Rugby clubs in relation to salary cap investigations

Sports Direct on a competition claim following Newcastle United’s decision not to supply their 2024/2025 replica kit for retail sale in its chain of shops and online, having entered into an exclusive arrangement with JD Sports as a third-party retailer, alongside only the Club’s and Adidas’s own channels.

Sauber Motorsports on the establishment of the Audi Technical Centre in the UK.

Queens Club on the renegotiation of its Tournament Staging Agreement with the Lawn Tennis Association.

Read Louisa Chambers Profile
Louisa Chambers
Read Jonathan Fritz Profile
Jonathan Fritz
Read Tim Gilbert Profile
Tim Gilbert
Read Robert Payne Profile
Robert Payne

OUR INSIGHTS

Private equity has found a home in sport

What used to be rare is now routine: private equity is buying into sport at every level.

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Navigating litigation risk in a new era of football regulation – game changer or own goal?

Amid a rise in disputes with sports regulators, the UK government’s proposal to introduce an Independent Football Regulator opens the door to potentially novel competition law challenges.

The Football Governance Bill may become law by summer 2025. This article considers the role of the Regulator and assesses where potential disputes might arise. 

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