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- Sports Memorabilia and Licensing
We represent Umbro in the licensing of soccer apparel worldwide. We also represent Nike on licensing matters. We have advised a number of NBA athletes in contract disputes with sports memorabilia companies that claimed that the athletes had breached personal services contracts. We also represent the Estate of Chicago Bears running back Walter Payton in connection with licensing and sports memorabilia issues. We have advised the Indianapolis Colts on trademark and licensing issues, including the protection of two popular new products, the Touchdown Monkey and Extra Point Monkey, and the sale of its retail gift shop and related catalogue and Internet operations.
- Indianapolis Colts Sports Facilities
We represented the Indianapolis Colts in negotiating new and innovative leasing arrangements for the team's regular season and training camp facilities. In renegotiating the team's lease of its home stadium, the RCA Dome, we secured a "signing bonus" for the Colts - cash from the City of Indianapolis - in the first stadium lease modification in professional sports involving a direct cash payment to a team by a municipality. We also represented the Colts in the lease of its training facility at a major college, advising the Colts on the sale of naming rights to the training facility and other sponsorships and a cross-promotional deal between the team and the college. We have also worked with the Colts in the post 9/11 period on the legal aspects of tightened security at its stadium.
- England's National Football Centre
We are representing England Football Enterprises in the building of the National Football Centre, a state-of-the-art facility that will serve as headquarters of all of England's national teams, from schoolboy sides to the country's World Cup entry.
- NFL in Europe
We represent the U.S. National Football League, the NFL Europe League and all four German NFL Europe League teams (Berlin Thunder, Frankfurt Galaxy, Rhine Fire and Cologne Centurions). We have negotiated new operating agreements including stadium contracts for all four teams for stadiums in Berlin, Frankfurt, Gelsenkirchen, Dusseldorf and Cologne.
- Acquisition of Formula One Racing Team
We recently represented Midland Group in its acquisition of all of the issued share capital of Jordan Grand Prix Holdings Limited and, with it, the Jordan Grand Prix Motor Racing Operation.
- Sale of Broadcasting Rights
On behalf of the Big Ten, in 2001 we negotiated a deal with two television networks for exclusive rights to televise the league's football and basketball contests. On behalf of the Indianapolis Colts, we handled the contracts for preseason television broadcasts, radio game broadcasts and the creation of a state-wide radio network. On behalf of Umbro.com, we negotiated an Internet Broadcast Services Agreement for the web-casting of soccer matches.
- German Sports Broadcasting
We represent Cologne-based WIGE Media AG, a stock-listed provider of technical equipment for broadcasting and related services (TV transmission and data) exclusively for sports events.
- British Horse Racing
We advised Sir Stanley Clarke and Northern Racing Limited, one of the UK's leading racecourse operators, on its reverse takeover of AIM-listed The Chepstow Racecourse PLC. As a result of the transaction, the enlarged group now owns nine of the UK's 59 racecourses. This was the eighth transaction in which Mayer Brown has been instructed by Northern Racing as lead corporate counsel.
- U.S. Cellular Field (formerly known as Comiskey Park)
We represented the Illinois Sports Facility Authority (ISFA) on all aspects of the authorizing legislation, financing, development, leasing and operation of the new Comiskey Park, home of the Chicago White Sox baseball team, as well as the later re-financing of the tax exempt bonds for the park. We also represented ISFA in the naming rights transaction and the issuance of state tax-supported bonds for the renovation of U.S. Cellular Field.
- Soldier Field
We acted for ISFA in connection with a $600 million multi-party financing of the construction, reconstruction and renovation of Soldier Field, home of the Chicago Bears football team, and the issuance of tax-exempt bonds by the ISFA in connection with that program. We also represented Soldier Field Joint Venture, the third-party operator of Soldier Field for the Chicago Park District, in connection with most aspects of the management and operation of Soldier Field, including multi-year use agreements for major league soccer, individual event contracts and food and beverage concessions.
- United Center
We represented a syndicate of bankers in the privately-financed construction and permanent financing of the United Center, home of the Chicago Bulls basketball team and the Chicago Blackhawks hockey team.
- Xcel Energy Center
We represented the issuer of asset-backed commercial paper in the $100 million securitization of contractually-obligated income streams from naming rights, sponsorships and luxury suites in the new Xcel Energy Center, the home of the Minnesota Wild hockey team in St. Paul, Minnesota.
- St. Louis Cardinals Ballpark
We represented private placement debt investors in the structuring and financing of construction of a new ballpark in downtown St. Louis to serve as the home of the St. Louis Cardinals baseball team.
- Home Depot National Training Center
We represented Bank of America in connection with the proposed syndicated financing of a multi-use sports complex in southern California that included a soccer stadium (for the L.A. Galaxy), a tennis arena, Olympic training facilities and a velodrome to be secured by both a mortgage on the facility and a security interest in contractually-obligated income streams from naming rights, sponsorships and luxury suites.
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