Sports teams and franchises are increasingly viewed as tradable global infrastructure assets which are bought and sold regularly. We have advised clients on the acquisition and disposal of professional clubs and teams at the highest levels in sports such as soccer (including the English Premier League), NFL and Formula 1. We have an established track record in advising Chinese investors on cross-border investments in the sports sector, and see Asia as a key region for growth for sport, not only in China, but also in Japan, Malaysia and India.

In the area of stadium financing, our work on the Singapore SportsHub stadium is a prime example of landmark projects on which we advise. This project won Infrastructure Journal’s deal of the year, and our team worked on it from inception in 2007 to the S$1.5bn refinancing in 2015. In the US, we advised on the development of Citi Field, the home of the New York Mets baseball team, and also advised on its refinancing. Similarly, in the UK we have advised the owners of the Silverstone motor racing circuit on redevelopment and investment over a period of years.

Our work on behalf of sport organizations encompasses the full range of business law services, including corporate transactions, consultation on commercial and contractual matters, advising on intellectual property matters (including management of global trademark portfolios), advising on real estate, finance, employment and labor, and dispute resolution. Because investigations are increasingly a feature of international sport, we also regularly advise on regulatory investigations in world sport, representing both management and regulatory bodies.