Pryor Cashman is a trusted advisor to some of the world’s most prominent athletes, sporting organizations, and other sports-related entities in corporate transactions, endorsement and branding deals, intellectual property, litigation, immigration, family law, and private client matters.

Pryor Cashman is uniquely positioned in the industry.  We are at the cutting-edge intersection of sport, technology, art, media, and entertainment — offering advice that allows athletes to make the most of opportunities in the U.S. and abroad. We seek to enable athletes to grow their businesses, protect their assets, and devise a long-term plan to consistently monetize their success and preserve their brands.

Our Sports Group is anchored by elite attorneys with significant experience representing sports industry clients in areas including monetizing name, image, and likeness (NIL), trademarks and branding, non-fungible tokens (NFTs), immigration, league governance issues, filmed entertainment, and music. Our award-winning litigation team also regularly advises athletes regarding potential disputes and when necessary, vigorously represents athletes in court litigation and alternative dispute resolution.

Our attorneys represent major league teams, their owners, and sports associations in diverse matters including:

  • Investment opportunities
  • Litigation
  • Mergers + acquisitions
  • Player disputes and restrictive covenants
  • Venue leases
  • Branding, advertising, and endorsements
  • Non-profit and foundation work
  • Real estate matters
  • NFTs 
  • Sponsorship agreements
  • Sweepstakes matters
  • Corporate and project finance
  • Stadium financings
  • Team purchases and investments
  • Immigration and mobility
  • Trusts, estates, and family matters

What We Do

Pryor Cashman enables growth and monetization opportunities for virtually every type of stakeholder in the sports industry. We represent professional leagues such as the National Football League (NFL) and Major League Lacrosse (MLL); players’ organizations such as the NFL Players Association (NFLPA); and national sports associations such as the United States Golf Association (USGA). We also represent athletes and entrepreneurs such as Kevin Durant (Thirty-Five Ventures), Dez Bryant, Michael Strahan (The Collection and MSX), Marcelo Vieira, Didier Drogba, Todd Gurley, Jermaine O'Neal, Jose Bautista, and scores of others — regarding various investments, initiatives, and disputes.

Getting in the Game

Our immigration attorneys provide 24/7 service to professional sports teams, their front offices, and coaching staff, as well as individual players and their families around the world. Whether coordinating travel for one event or expediting a work visa for a foreign national, our attorneys handle green card and naturalization applications and other critical immigration issues for a broad range of professional sports clients including professional sports leagues, teams, and individual professional athletes and coaches. We currently work with teams from the NBA, the WNBA, MLS, the ECHL, and NHL to assist in their global mobility and visa requirements.

Leveraging + Protecting Winning Brands

Teams, leagues, and other sports properties have recognizable brands with immense profit potential through merchandising and licensing arrangements. Whether working with athletes and teams or sports and marketing agencies, Pryor Cashman helps clients maximize the value of those assets. And beyond the world of sports, our Celebrity Branding practice connects clients with strategic partners in industries such as fashion, restaurants, cannabis, hospitality, music, financial services, art, film, and literature, and helps them take advantage of opportunities through NFT and avatar creation, metaverse opportunities, and other channels.

Recognized for our tenacity and skillful advocacy, we have earned a national reputation for successfully litigating copyright and trademark infringement matters for clients across the entertainment spectrum, including professional sports, e-sports, and elsewhere. For example, we have represented NFL properties in logo and licensing antitrust litigation brought by the NFLPA, and also handle multiple IP issues for the USGA, including the successful defense of its OPEN trademarks and in various patents related to course monitoring.

Life off the Field

Advancing an athlete’s career is more than just securing the next lucrative marketing deal- it's about building a legacy. Working with our renowned Private Client Group, we set our clients up for long-term success and a secure future. As athletes transition from professional sports to the next stage of their careers, we assist them with business formation, trademark protection, brand management, charity and foundation development, venture capital and private equity transactions, real estate acquisitions, leasing, and residential purchases. We counsel athletes on personal matters, including matrimonial agreements, wealth management, asset protection, legacy planning, and tax matters. We have also represented athletes in litigation, including recovering monies for a group of NFL players defrauded in an investment scheme, as well as representing numerous National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) Division I coaches in contract negotiations and other related matters.

Simply put, we thrive outside the lines to empower our clients to dream big and realize their maximum potential.