Sport, Entertainment and Media
For over 30 years, we’ve helped some of the biggest names in the sport, entertainment and media industries to navigate the unique challenges that they face. We’ve helped them to exploit new opportunities as their markets have evolved, and our multi-disciplinary team continues to provide nuanced and straightforward commercial advice on the issues that affect them today.

Our clients span the full spectrum of the sport, entertainment and media industries, from international sports federations, leagues and athletes to production companies and studios, games and software developers.

Many of our lawyers have hands-on governance experience within those industries, or they have completed secondments with our clients, giving us a true understanding of their priorities and a genuine passion and keen interest in their success.

We provide comprehensive legal advice on the full range of issues affecting our clients, including:

• Negotiating complex broadcasting, sponsorship and commercial agreements
• Managing worldwide trademark and brand portfolios to support merchandise operations and enforce brand protection around the world
• Staging events including venue hire agreements, ticketing arrangements, event services and marketing
• Advising on mergers and acquisitions of sports and entertainment organisations
• Providing bespoke competition and regulatory advice
• Supporting the construction and modernisation of stadia, events venues and other infrastructure to maximise their potential
• Helping sports bodies develop and enforce their rules and regulations to maintain the integrity of their competition
• Providing strategic dispute resolution advice to help clients identify and resolve issues
• Helping them secure elite talent by advising on immigration and employment requirements

Read our sports law guides:

Sports stadium construction

An insight into the legal considerations in relation to stadium construction.

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Health and safety in sport

Health and safety compliance is essential for all businesses, including those running in sports circles. 

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Immigration in sport

Our expert Immigration team provide a relevant overview of different visa routes that are typically most applicable for sportspeople.

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Data protection in sport

Increased regulation has coincided with an exponential increase in data collection and analysis at every level of sport. Here we look at five key issues to consider.

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Estate planning for sports professionals

With a unique set of circumstances, we explore how athletes and sportspeople can confidently navigate the complexities of wealth preservation and ensure lifelong financial security.

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Meet our key contacts

Matt Phillip

Partner

Contact by email

+44 (0)131 473 5777

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Meet our full team

Laura Barron

Associate

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Joanna Boag-Thomson

Partner

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Andrew Buchan

Senior Solicitor

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Paul Carlyle

Partner

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Gordon Downie

Consultant

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Carly Duckett

Associate

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Nikki Forde

Solicitor

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Roddy Forgie

Director

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Jack Freeland

Associate

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Madeleine Gill

Solicitor

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Olivia Greener

Senior Solicitor

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Morag Hutchison

Partner

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Neil Maclean

Partner and Head of Employment

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Gillian Moore

Director

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Matt Phillip

Partner

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Ben Pilbrow

Partner

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Alison Rochester

Partner

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Euan Small

Senior Solicitor

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John Vassiliou

Director and Head of Immigration

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Related articles and insights: Sport, Entertainment and Media

2 July 2026

The Sporting Events Bill: A big win for business?

Contributor: Roddy Forgie

Organisers, rights holders and commercial partners of major sporting events should already be thinking about the UK government’s Sporting Events Bill.

Read more...

30 June 2026

Continuing uncertainty on the law of prescription

Contributors:
Iain Drummond, Alejandro Coghill

Ogilvie Construction Limited v M1 Re Glasgow Limited and Leach Rhodes Walker Ltd provides important analysis of the effect of the 2018 amendments to the law of prescription in Scotland.

Read more...

6 May 2026

Martyn’s law: What the new Home Office guidance means for events and venues

Contributor: Killian Dockrell

The new Terrorism (Protection of Premises) Act 2025 (also known as Martyn’s Law) will have implications for many events and premises, especially those that can host more than 800 people.

Read more...

20 January 2026

Shivering this winter? Cole Palmer’s signature shiver and the emergence of motion marks in football

Contributor: Joseph Fitzgibbon

Cole Palmer is the first footballer to secure a motion mark for a celebration via a 2018 amendment to the Trade Marks Act 1994. This represents the expanding scope of trade mark protection in sport.

Read more...

7 April 2025

Will dynamic pricing be shown the red card?

Contributor: Jonathan Carey

The government’s public consultation on the resale of live events tickets closed for responses on 4 April. Against that backdrop, and with the use of dynamic pricing firmly in the regulatory spotlight, we explain what it all could mean for those hosting and selling tickets to sporting (and other) events.

Read more...

3 April 2025

Breaking Premier League rules and the butterfly effect

Contributor: Kypros Georghiou

This article provides background to Burnley’s claim for damages against Everton for its breaches of the Premier League’s Profit and Sustainability rules, and explores the consequences of these breaches on the fate of other clubs.

Read more...

• Read more related insights.
• Read more related news.

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Contact us

Matt Phillip

Partner

Contact by email

+44 (0)131 473 5777

Connect on LinkedIn

Download vCard

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