Sports Law

Ashfords has a specialist team of sports lawyers. Our expertise is primarily in horse racing and other equine disciplines but also includes motorsport, football, cycling, cricket, boxing and rugby union. We act for individuals, clubs, team sponsors and rights holders, and advise on issues arising both on and off the field of play.

Our team has a wealth of experience when it comes to sports, both as participants and as legal advisers. We believe that we have the right blend of technical expertise and practical understanding of the sports industry. We act for regulators, representative bodies, sponsors, teams and participants in sports at all professional levels. Our clients range from Champion Jockeys to the British Microlight Aircraft Association.

• Disciplinary hearings;
• Sponsorship, merchandising and endorsement agreements;
• Player and driver contracts;
• Image rights, personality rights and privacy;
• Merchandising and IP rights;
• Stadium and circuit development and construction;
• Property acquisition and planning in relation to stadium circuits and sports grounds;
• Project and capital finance;
• Sport related taxation issues;
• Individual wealth management;
• Health and safety;
• Brand management;
• Advising on corporate and regulatory governance;
• Commercial and regulatory issues;
• Restraint of trade;
• Event management;
• Ambush marketing;
• Strategic alliances;
• Player and driver agent arrangements;
• Intellectual Property protection; and
  
• Sports injury.

• Advising a shareholder of a well known Scottish Premier League Football Club on regulatory matters
  
• A first team coach of a leading County Cricket Club, regarding his exit from the club;
• Frankie Dettori, in respect of a successful appeal against suspension, allowing him to ride in and win the Celebration Mile at Goodwood;
• A World Champion Clay Target Shooter on International Competition Regulations;
• An international Slalom Canoeist on her country's selection criteria for its national team;
  
• Champion jockeys, under both codes, in successful Appeals against suspension;
• A premiership football club in respect of its club and kit sponsorship arrangements;
• Racecourses in a multimillion pound media rights dispute involving live pictures of horseracing;
• A leading international motorsport team on the drafting and negotiation of driver contracts;
• A motorsport team on reviewing engine and chassis supply agreements;
• Drivers and teams regarding title sponsorship;
• A player regarding termination of his contract from a leading rugby union club;
• Rugby union and football clubs and advising on player transfer disputes and sponsorship matters;
• Players and clubs before the Football League Disciplinary Commission and other football regulatory bodies;
• A sponsor on the contractual arrangements for an equipment sponsorship with a national team;
• Both regulatory and representative bodies in relation to rule changes;
• Individuals involved in sport in relation to comment made in the written media;
• A crew member in relation to a contract to crew one of the Americas Cup entries;
• A club on the construction of a new stadium for a rugby union club, including negotiating JV arrangements;
• An Olympic three day event rider on the sale and purchase of event horses;
• A world top ten snooker player regarding image rights;
• A boxer and holder of British and Commonwealth Middleweight titles, title defence obligations;
• A boxing manager on contractual issues; and
• A cricket league on the application of Kolpak Regulations.

We are members of the

• Motorsport Industry Association