Sports

The business of professional sport is evolving at unprecedented speed, creating significant opportunities and complex legal challenges for teams, leagues, owners and investors. For more than 25 years, Goodmans has been at the centre of that landscape, advising on the transactions, structures and strategic decisions that shape Canadian professional sport. Our clients don't view us as simply external counsel - they rely on us as a strategic partner and an extension of their internal team, bringing a 360-degree perspective to their highest-stakes mandates.

Our full-service sports practice advises professional teams, franchise owners, leagues and stakeholders across the NHL, PWHL, NBA, WNBA, CFL, NFL, MLB, MLS and other leagues. Clients turn to Goodmans for clear, commercially grounded legal advice on matters including:

• Franchise Transactions and Ownership Structures. With league expansion, escalating franchise valuations, private equity, and institutional investment transforming how professional sport is financed and structured, we provide guidance to a range of stakeholders on the purchase, sale and structuring of professional sports franchises. Our lawyers have advised on the most significant franchise transactions in Canadian sports history and act for the ownership groups behind Canada’s most iconic teams.

• Sports Financing, Arenas and Stadium Development. We structure and negotiate equity and debt financing for sports franchises and advise on arena and stadium development, including public‑private partnerships, municipal approvals and complex multi‑party arrangements.

• Commercial Rights, Sponsorships and Media Law. Our clients seek our intellectual property, media and regulatory counsel to protect and monetize their brand value through endorsements, sponsorships, licensing, ticketing and media rights agreements, including broadcasting, streaming, and digital platforms.

• League Formation, Governance and Regulatory. We support stakeholders with league formation, expansion and governance, including regulatory approvals, competition/antitrust law and tax structuring.

• Disputes, Labour and Employment. We represent our clients in sports‑related litigation, arbitration and dispute resolution, and advise on collective bargaining, player contracts and crisis management.

Beyond professional sport, we advise broadcasters, real estate developers, gaming organizations, esports teams and ownership groups on the full range of legal issues that arise across the broader sports and entertainment ecosystem - from licensing and broadcasting to regulatory, competition and advertising matters.

Clients choose Goodmans because complex, high-stakes decisions demand counsel that combines deep industry knowledge, commercial clarity and precise legal judgment.