Sports Law

• The Kroenke Group, advising the Group and leading the development team implementing the multibillion-dollar sports and entertainment complex in the city of Inglewood, California.  The complex will contain an NFL stadium, expected to open in the fall of 2020, together with a 6,000-seat performance venue, and mixed-use development of more than four million square feet of hotel, office, retail, residential and open space.
• Madison Square Garden in its acquisition of the Forum in Inglewood, California, and in negotiations in connection with permitting regarding its renovation as a premier entertainment venue.
• The New Jersey Devils and Prudential Arena in connection with the refinancing and restructuring of their senior secured credit facilities.*
• The San Diego Padres in connection with the team’s senior secured financings.
• YES Network in connection with numerous secured and unsecured financings.
• The Golden State Warriors in the negotiation, entitlement, CEQA review and development of a mixed-use office, retail and 18,050-seat arena and entertainment complex in the Mission Bay area of San Francisco.  The arena, with a target completion date in 2019, will serve as the Warriors’ new home basketball court.
• Goldman Sachs in connection with its initial investment in, and ultimate sale of, its interest in Legends Hospitality, the concessions and sports-marketing joint venture of the New York Yankees, Dallas Cowboys and Goldman Sachs to provide concession services to Yankee Stadium, Cowboys Stadium and other venues.*
• The buyer of the Portland Beavers in connection with construction of a new state-of-the-art minor league baseball stadium in Escondido, California, and lease of the stadium by the Beavers.
• The Boston Celtics LP in the reorganization of the publicly held limited partnership that owned the Boston Celtics basketball team and other assets into two entities: a publicly held partnership and a privately held partnership (Castle Creek Partners).
• Foxboro Stadium and the adjacent New England Harness Raceway in connection with all aspects of ownership, management and operation of the stadium and agreements for all the diverse income streams, including signage, sponsorship, parking, football, and event usage and retail operations.
• The City of Los Angeles in the public-private partnership aspects of the construction of the Staples Center.
• Nike, Inc. in connection with its resigning of professional basketball star Kevin Durant.

* Matters handled by lawyer prior to joining Gibson, Dunn & Crutcher.

• Secured summary judgment from the Central District of California for Nike, Inc. against Oakley in a lawsuit over which company was entitled to the endorsement services of Rory McIlroy.
• Successfully intervened on behalf of Nike, Inc. in the Northern District of Illinois in a case involving Michael Jordan’s publicity rights, for the purpose of protecting the secrecy of Nike’s endorsement agreement with Jordan.
• Represented the National Football League Players Association in various matters, including antitrust litigation against the National Football League; follow-on litigation brought by retired NFL Hall of Fame players; collective bargaining with the National Football League over benefits matters; and the development and negotiation of arbitral rules governing discipline of NFL players.
• Successfully represented Madison Square Garden and others in litigations and lobbying efforts challenging and ultimately defeating New York City’s sweeping proposal to build a new stadium for the Jets on Manhattan’s West Side; successfully defended Cablevision and the Garden in $100 million antitrust suit brought by the New York Jets over their failed stadium bid.
• Won Federal Circuit affirmance, on behalf of the University of Southern California (USC), of the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s decision to refuse registration of the “SC” trademark to the University of South Carolina. In 2002, USC formally opposed South Carolina’s application to federally register a stylized version of the “SC” trademark, alleging that South Carolina’s “SC” mark infringed on USC’s federally registered and common-law “SC” marks. In response, South Carolina counterclaimed to cancel USC’s federal trademark registration for its “SC” interlock logo. The Board ruled that both universities’ marks are identical or confusingly similar and that they are used on identical or similar products that travel through the same trade channels. USC also prevailed on the issue of priority.
• Represented the Olympic Committees in connection with rules and regulations related to the IOC and the Olympic Games.
• Represented Garmin-Cervelo, a professional cycling team, in connection with sponsorship disputes.
• Represented Floyd Landis in a CAS arbitration in Lausanne and New York arising out of the actions taken by the U. S. Anti-Doping Agency regarding Mr. Landis’ victory in the 2006 Tour de France competition.
• Won appeal of Justin Gatlin’s suspension before CAS, thereby preserving his ability to participate in the Beijing Olympics and eligibility to compete in IAAF-sanctioned events worldwide.
• Represented an English football club in defense against claims of unfair dismissal in the Employment Tribunal and wrongful dismissal in the High Court brought by a former director.
• Represented the Ladies Professional Golf Association in a proceeding for cancellation of a major golf tournament.
• Represented Cowboy Athletics Inc., Oklahoma State University (OSU) and T. Boone Pickens in a brief before the Fifth Circuit on behalf of Cowboy Athletics Inc. (the charitable organization that supports collegiate athletics at OSU) and Mr. Pickens. The matter was in a high-profile appeal involving a multimillion-dollar life insurance scam, college football and one of the biggest names in American business.