The CMS Sports Disputes Team advises clients from across the sports sector on a diverse range of disputes from contractual issues, to IP, to regulatory engagements.
Our team has substantial experience and expertise in big ticket sports litigation and regulation, applying our commercial litigation skillset and utilising the broad range of specialist litigation, reputation management and regulatory knowledge available across our dispute resolution practice. When cross-border sporting disputes arise, our international team is also well placed to advise sports clients across jurisdictions.
The CMS team is at the forefront of litigation in the developing area of sports information rights. We have advised clients both on media rights and the potential development of a separate sporting right in information in sports events, built on a variety of underlying legal causes of action.
When it comes to Esports, we regularly advise clients in the UK and internationally on contractual and employment disputes, doping, and cybersecurity issues such as preventing hacking and use of illegal software during tournaments.
Our experience includes advising:
- Sports Information Services in a complex case relating to the creation and provision of horseracing betting odds (known as “betting shows”) and other data relating to horseraces (known as “raceday data”) at the racecourses operated by The Racing Partnership.
- Royal Panda Limited, part of the Leo Vegas International betting and gaming group, in database right infringement proceedings brought by Genius Sports Limited (BetGenius).
- UEFA on securing a ‘live’ blocking injunction for the 2020/2021 footballing season against the five leading Irish ISPs to prevent Irish customers from accessing particular targeted servers which were streaming illegal transmissions of UEFA games including the UEFA Champions League, the Europa League, the Nations League, the Super Cup and Euro 2020 (now postponed to 2021) competition.
- A client on “Project Red Card”, the legal action being threatened by a group of Premier League footballers against various betting, games and data companies in relation to their use of the footballers’ personal data in the course of their business activities.
- Crossfire Soccer / Seattle Sounders, a first UK claim for a US club utilising the FIFA’s Regulations on the Status and Transfer of Players (RSTP) regarding training compensation / solidarity payments in respect of DeAndre Yedlin’s transfer to Tottenham Hotspur FC from Seattle Sounders.
- Force India in relation to a commercial / advertising dispute (including successful appearance before the Court of Appeal).
- Rockingham Motor speedway on disputes arising from the motorcycle speedway series, Nascar series and related issues.
- The largest Scottish Sports Governing Body (“SGB”) on the drafting, implementation and operation of a detailed set of rules and procedures governing its disciplinary procedures and other ancillary regulations, including advising on two complex Judicial Reviews brought by a minority but prominent shareholder of a major club relating to “dual interest” and “fit and proper person” rules and various other off-field and on-field disciplinary and regulatory matters.
- Football clubs on responding to online abuse against their players and employees, including in relation to club sanctions, social media takedown procedures, civil claims and criminal complaints.
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