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Though Hollywood at times can claim to drive monoculture (see: sold-out theaters nationwide for The Odyssey), this summer proved without a doubt that it’s live sports that unite the world. But before World Cup victor Spain even took its first kickoff, Amy Siegel of O’Melveny & Myers made sure that the ultimate FIFA watch party would go off without a hitch. And before a single sugarcane was installed for Bad Bunny’s Super Bowl LX Halftime Show, Barnes & Thornburg’s Jason Karlov and Amanda Taber tucked in all rights. Not to mention that Latham & Watkins’ Matt Eisler and Russell Hedman jumped into the fray immediately following the Seattle Seahawks’ win, representing the owner in an ongoing sale with a valuation of $9.6 billion. Between the $10 billion acquisition of the Lakers and Patrick Mahomes’ $507 million contract, 2026 broke massive records and endless headlines, and the NFL, NHL and NBA haven’t even started their seasons yet.

• Steve Argeris Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  WEIL, GOTSHAL & MANGES

  When a deal looks like it’s going to be heading into the billions, Argeris gets the call. He guided a consortium led by team ownerJosh Harris through a record-shattering $6.05 billion purchase of the Washington Commanders, at the time the largest sum ever paid for a professional sports franchise. Argeris also helped the Walton-Penner Family Ownership Group close the $5.65 billion acquisition of the Denver Broncos, the second-largest sports deal in history. When not smashing milestones, he’s facilitating women’s soccer as it surges forward, advising tycoon Michele Kang as she built Kynisca into a multi-club powerhouse containing the National Women’s Soccer League’s Washington Spirit, France’s OL Lyonnes and the London City Lionesses.

• Jeff Austin, Peter Carlisle & Phil de Picciotto

  OCTAGON 

  On the court, Stephen Curry lights it up, while off it, de Picciotto and Austin build his empire. De Picciotto negotiated the basketball star’s exit from a lifetime Under Armour deal, securing him full ownership of all of Curry Brand’s IP. Austin followed up by signing a deal with Chinese sporting goods giant Li-Ning, which expanded the Curry Brand into golf apparel and global retail. Most recently, the latter attorney negotiated Curry’s $62.6 million one-year extension with the Golden State Warriors, making him the NBA’s highest-paid player. And for more than two decades, Carlisle has led a team that manages the careers — handling contracts, partnerships and content deals — of many of the world’s most prominent Olympians, from Aly Raisman to Simone Biles.

  FAVORITE SPORTS SHOW Carlisle: “The Netflix series Rafa, a portrayal of the physical and emotional cost of sustaining athletic excellence.”

  BEST DEAL IN SPORTS de Picciotto: “The vertically integrated strategy Apple created around the F1 movie in tandem with their acquisition of U.S. rights for F1 races.”

• Charles H. Baker & Irwin Raij Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  SIDLEY AUSTIN

  Baker was a key part of the team that repped The Denver Post when it sold its minority interest in MLB’s Colorado Rockies to the Penner Sports Group. Led by Denver Broncos owners Greg Penner and Carrie Walton Penner, Penner acquired a 40 percent stake valued at $1.68 billion. Baker also advised on the launch of Project Level, a groundbreaking women’s sports investment platform headed up by Ariel Investments co-CEO Mellody Hobson (wife of George Lucas) and Jason Wright. Meanwhile, Raij represented a minority investor in a deal that marked the first time that owner Robert Kraft sold any part of the New England Patriots, which he’d acquired for $172 million in 1994, now valued at more than $9 billion. The lawyer also repped the state of Kansas in a massive sports development mixed-use project, pegged to the Chiefs’ relocation in 2031. DREAM CLIENT Baker: “Muhammad Ali, the Greatest.”

  FAVORITE SPORTS SHOW Raij: “Ted Lasso.”

• Neil Barr & Jon Oram Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  DAVIS POLK

  Barr recently acted for Mark Walter in his historic $10 billion acquisition of a majority stake in the Los Angeles Lakers. (He also advised Josh Harris on the $6.05 billion purchase of the NFL’s Commanders.) Oram is co-leading the firm in advising the family of the late Peter Seidler, the beloved San Diego Padres majority owner, in transferring control to a new group for $3.9 billion, setting a new baseball benchmark. He also represented Dell Tech’s Michael Dell and Tom Brady andTom Wagner’s TNT Football in acquiring minority ownership interest in the Las Vegas Raiders.

  BEST DEAL IN SPORTS Barr: “Roger Federer and On Holding [sportswear].”

  WHAT’S NEXT FOR WOMEN’S SPORTS? Oram: “State-of-the-art facilities, blockbuster media rights deals, easier-to-find coverage and further league expansion.”

• Richard Brand & Zak Welsh Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  ARENTFOX SCHIFF

  Lead attorney for the Lakers, a longtime firm client, and the Buss family owners, Brand guided the landmark sale of a majority ownership interest to Dodgers co-owner Mark Walter. Brand and Welsh also represent pro soccer clubs Chicago Fire FC and Inter Miami CF on multiyear naming rights and sponsorships.

• Chris Cabott Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  EQUITY SPORTS

  Cabott is behind the largest contract in NFL history, landing it for Kansas City Chiefs quarterback Patrick Mahomes not once but twice: a record-breaking $450 million in 2020, then topping it this year with $504.75 million. Cabott also locked in a $40 million contract for Denver Broncos safety Talanoa Hufanga, a $52.5 million contract for Cleveland Browns wideoutJerry Jeudy and pulled another first with a fully guaranteed second-round rookie contract for Houston Texans receiver Jayden Higgins.

  FAVORITE SPORTS SHOW “TheQuarterback series. It takes a lot of work and sacrifice to be great on Sundays — from significant others, parents, representation, trainers, physical therapists, coaches and many others.”

• Matthew Carpenter-Dennis, Eric H. Geffner & Michael Kuh Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  SIMPSON THACHER & BARTLETT

  The trio are deep in the trenches advising Bill Foley and the Vegas Golden Knights on their bid to bring an NBA franchise to Las Vegas. Foley, already regarded as one of the NHL’s most successful team owners, has said he plans to house the team right on the Las Vegas Strip in T-Mobile Arena. Geffner, legal counsel to Angel City FC, has been with the club since its founding in 2020. Under his guidance, Angel City (co-founded by Natalie Portman and Alexis Ohanian) has topped the league in attendance and revenue — with $35 million generated in 2024 and a valuation of $250 million — that makes it one of the most valuable women’s pro teams. And thank Kuh for this year’s nail-biting summer, as he was a key presence on the bid committee that anointed Canada, Mexico and the U.S. as hosts of the FIFA 2026 World Cup.

  DREAM CLIENTS

  Geffner: “Jalen Brunson.”

  Kuh: “Abby Wambach. One of the greatest soccer players of all time, she’s also a leader: In her book Wolfpack, she writes about resilience and failure, not just success. She is 100 percent authentic.”

• Christopher Chase & Kimberly Maynard Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  FRANKFURT KURNIT

  All eyes turn to L.A. as the city gears up to host the 2028 Summer Olympics. Chase and Maynard are at the center of the action, entrusted by the International Olympic Committee to lead intellectual property strategy ­— the plan for protecting and leveraging the Olympic trademarks, copyrights and patent enforcement in the U.S. Chase also oversees LIV Golf’s global trademark portfolio.

  BEST SPORTS DEAL Chase: “American Express and F1, which provides cardmembers with access to a tier one global property.”

• Ethan Cohan Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  DEL SHAW MOONVES

  Having represented both sports leagues and production companies, Cohan negotiated PGA’s Prime Video Sports deal that returned the iconic golf tournament series The Skins Game to TV after a 17-year hiatus. He also closed Box to Box Films’ deal with Netflix for SEC Football: Any Given Saturday, the streamer’s first college football docuseries; represented the NFL on matters relating to NFL+ and NFL RedZone; and negotiated PGA’s deals for Netflix’s The Hawk and Happy Gilmore 2.

  DREAM CLIENT “The one nobody knows yet. There’s nothing better than helping build a career from the beginning. But also [pro golfer] Rory McIlroy.”

• Stefan G. dePozsgay & Kevin Masuda Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  GIBSON DUNN

  Who do you want to call when a superstar wishes to own a franchise or build an empire? Masuda. He represented Serena Williams in her acquisition of an ownership stake in the Toronto Tempo, Canada’s first WNBA franchise. Together with Main Street Advisors, he also advised SpringHill, the studio founded by LeBron James and Maverick Carter, on its transformative merger with Fulwell 73. And from its formation to its sale to Openfit, James’ Ladder — the nutrition brand co-founded by Arnold Schwarzenegger, Lindsey Vonn and Cindy Crawford — was guided by Masuda. For Wrexham AFC owners Ryan Reynolds and Rob McElhenney, dePozsgay secured the Apollo Sports Capital’s minority investment that may be just the push the club needs to reach the Premier League. He also repped Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in obtaining a controlling share of Australia’s SailGP team and guided RedBird Capital Partners on a first-of-its-kind direct investment that allows the Big 12’s 16-member universities access to up to $500 million in capital.

  DREAM NEW CLIENT dePozsgay: “Erling Haaland.”

• Matt Dysart & Jesse Saivar Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  GREENBERG GLUSKER

  When Barstool Sports teamed with Fox Sports to create bold, buzzy shows that drive the sports news cycle, Saivar, serving as Barstool’s outside counsel, navigated the more complex entertainment-specific deal points. Saivar also guided Jomboy Media through its partnership with MLB and aided Kardashian business guru Emma Grede’s launch of her sports apparel brand Off Season. Dysart helped bring to the screen the journey of the U.S. Men’s National Soccer Team to this year’s World Cup, repping Park Stories production in the financing and licensing of the just-released HBO docuseries U.S. Against the World. He also brokered Kevin Hart and Kenan Thompson’s deal for Good Sports on Amazon;Red Flags Formula 1‘s podcast contract with Vox Media; StagePilot’s Super Bowl livestream partnership with Twitch; and Teton Ridge’s rodeo and Western sports venture, which includes carriage deals for the Cowboy Channel.

• Matt Eisler, Russell Hedman & Adam Sullins Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  LATHAM & WATKINS

  Following their Super Bowl LX victory, the Seahawks, reportedly valued at $9.61 billion, were put up for sale, still ongoing, by Eisler and Hedman’s client, Paul Allen Estate. The duo also just wrapped the estate’s sale of the Portland Trail Blazers to Rip City Rising, the ownership group led by Tom Dundon. Separately, Eisler represented Harbinger Sports Partners as it acquired a stake in the Las Vegas A’s. And flag football fans will be gratified to know that Sullins’ VC client, Bessemer Venture Partners, is partnering with the NFL and TMRW Sports to launch a pro league for women and men. Tom Brady, Serena Williams and Billie Jean King are key investors.

  FAVORITE SPORTS MOVIE Eisler: “Happy Gilmore.”

  BEST SPORTS DEAL Hedman: “After The Mighty Ducks in 1992, Disney founded a real-life NHL team, the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. Can’t beat that.”

• Eric M. Feinstein & Edward Herlihy Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  WACHTELL LIPTON ROSEN & KATZ

  Working on the largest deal in MLB history, Herlihy and Feinstein advised investors Kwanza Jones and José E. Feliciano through their record-shattering $3.9 billion acquisition of the Padres in May. The two attorneys were also behind Bill Chisholm’s $6.1 billion purchase of the Boston Celtics and represented David Rubenstein, co-founder of the Carlyle Group, in his $1.7 billion acquisition of the Baltimore Orioles.

• Eric Fishman Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  HOGAN LOVELLS

  Fishman brokered Kevin Durant’s Netflix docuseries contract and a Nike lifetime sneaker deal, making him only the third athlete to land that contract after Michael Jordan and LeBron James. The attorney, who also reps Michael Phelps, engineered Shai Gilgeous-Alexander in his move from Converse to Nike, plus endorsement deals with YSL, Levi’s and Google.

  DREAM NEW CLIENT “Caitlin Clark.”

• Jason Gorczynski, Adam Klein & Daniel Render Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  KATTEN

  Klein and Render are at the center of some of the biggest sports deals, with the former advising the Chicago White Sox on an agreement that laid the groundwork for Justin Ishbia to potentially take a controlling stake. Both are repping the A’s in raising funds for their new Vegas stadium. Render also was legal adviser to Blue Owl HomeCourt Partners in its purchase of a minority stake in the Cleveland Cavaliers. On the real estate side, Klein and Gorczynski helped Inter Miami CF finance its new 26,700-seat stadium alongside Miami Freedom Park.

  WHAT’S NEXT FOR WOMEN’S SPORTS? Gorczynski: “We are in the midst of a seismic shift that has moved women’s athletics from the background to the center of the picture: Almost half of the WNBA teams have developed or are pursuing dedicated women’s training facilities. And NWSL teams are building their own home stadiums.”

  DREAM CLIENTS Klein: “Billie Jean King.” Render: “Kevin Durant.”

• David Greenspan & Jeffrey Kessler Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  WINSTON TAYLOR

  When players want someone to go to war for their rights, they dub Kessler and Greenspan their knights. Kessler is known as the premier player- and union-side attorney when going up against major leagues, successfully challenging online sportsbooks’ use of MLB players’ identities without obtaining a license. Greenspan brokered the $2.8 billion antitrust settlement that installed an ongoing revenue-sharing framework for NCAA Division I athletes, giving them a direct stake in revenue.

• Mike Hill, Andrew Nightingale & Peter Zern Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  COVINGTON

  Hill brokered the blockbuster deal that had his client, the NFL, handing over NFL Network, the linear pay TV side of NFL RedZone and NFL Fantasy to ESPN and walking away with a 10 percent $2 billion to $3 billion equity stake. When billionaire Justin Ishbia had his sights set on owning an MLB team, Zern and Nightingale drove the agreement with White Sox owner Jerry Reinsdorf that set the table for their client to potentially obtain a future controlling $2 billion-plus interest. The two lawyers have also ushered an unprecedented private equity investment by Crimson Brand Partners in the University of Utah athletic department, setting a precedent that could reshape sports financing.

  FAVORITE CURRENT SPORTS MOVIE Hill: “Marty Supreme.”

  BEST SPORTS DEAL Nightingale: “Hard to argue with the NFL’s media ecosystem.”

  DREAM CLIENT Zern: “[Slovenian cyclist] Tadej Pogacar or U.S. skier Mikaela Shiffrin.”

• Jason Karlov & Amanda Taber Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  BARNES & THORNBURG

  When Bad Bunny danced his way through a sugarcane plantation at Super Bowl LX, mashing up his biggest hits alongside surprise performances by Lady Gaga and Ricky Martin, more than 128 million people tuned in. Behind the scenes, Karlov and Taber worked to make that moment happen, negotiating the licenses and performance agreements. They also handled the agreements for the 2025 Super Bowl Halftime Show with Kendrick Lamar and SZA. Karlov is already at work on the overall production for opening and closing ceremonies of the 2028 L.A. Summer Olympics.

  FAVORITE SPORTS SHOW Taber: “Hands down, Ted Lasso.”

• Wayne Katz & Joe Leccese Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  PROSKAUER

  For three decades, Leccese has been at the forefront of sports’ private equity and M&A transactions, including the NFL’s acquisition of an interest in ESPN, and investments in the Philadelphia Eagles, Buffalo Bills, Chicago Bears, New England Patriots and Philadelphia Phillies. Katz oversees significant deals for the NBA, including the recent sales of the Trail Blazers, Celtics and Lakers, and the NBA’s multibillion-dollar league-wide credit facility. He also handles major M&A transactions for team owners who purchased the Miami Marlins, Washington Nationals, Cleveland Browns, Eagles and New York Red Bulls — and oversaw stadium projects like the Washington Nationals’ lease with the District of Columbia.

• Arash Khalili & Brian Socolow Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  LOEB & LOEB

  Khalili oversaw the legal logistics behind the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee’s successful bid to bring the 2034 Winter Games to Salt Lake City. He also represents Naomi Osaka; Lakers head coach JJ Redick; and Dwyane Wade in corporate matters, including the latter’s ownership stakes in the WNBA’s Chicago Sky and the NBA’s Utah Jazz. Socolow repped PayPal’s marketing agency on the platform’s multiyear sponsorship deals with the Big Ten and Big 12, enabling schools to securely pay athletes up to $20.5 million annually.

  HOW HAS AI CHANGED SPORTS? Khalili: “We are seeing the increasing use of AI to evaluate player performance, game strategy and fan engagement.”

• Jason Krochak & Frank Saviano Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  KIRKLAND & ELLIS

  In a deal unanimously approved by the NBA Board of Governors, the pair advised Rip City Rising on its $4 billion acquisition of a majority stake in the Trail Blazers. They also ran herd on Sixth Street Partners’ minority investment in six-time Super Bowl champion Patriots, making Sixth Street one of only three private equity firms with a stake in an NFL team. (The Kraft family retains majority ownership.) Krochak also represented Railbird Technologies in its sale to DraftKings, advancing the latter’s strategic expansion into the rapidly evolving prediction markets space.

• Andy Latack Image Credit: Lorenzo Bevilaqua

  KLUTCH SPORTS GROUP

  Latack has been a driving force behind lucrative deals in a group that represents many of the biggest names in sports, including Eagles quarterback Jalen Hurts, Rams defender Myles Garrett, 76er guard Tyrese Maxey, Wizards forward Anthony Davis, Aces center A’ja Wilson, Diamondbacks catcher Gabriel Moreno, Blue Jays shortstop Andrés Giménez and Mets pitcher Devin Williams. Two of his team’s recent legal victories include a four-year extension ­— with $40 million annual payout and $123 million guaranteed — for Garrett (then with the Cleveland Browns), and Will Anderson Jr.’s three-year $150 million extension with the Houston Texans, including $134 million guaranteed, making him the highest-paid non-quarterback in NFL history.

  BEST SPORTS DEAL “Fox Sports’ 2026 World Cup broadcast agreement with FIFA. Fox paid $485 million — those rights should fetch more than three times that in 2030.”

• Dan Martens Image Credit: Jon Soohoo

  LOS ANGELES DODGERS

  As general counsel of the Dodgers for the past four years, Martens is tasked with overseeing all aspects of the organization’s legal affairs. His work includes managing active litigation and legislation, engaging with the stadium’s labor unions and international matters. He assisted with the Dodgers’ difficult issues regarding Shohei Ohtani’s interpreter Ippei Mizuhara stealing from the two-way star to repay gambling debts, and negotiations for the MLB’s looming labor battle over salary caps.

  DREAM CLIENT “If the flux capacitor is working, Jackie Robinson in 1947.”

• Gabriel Matus & Danielle Molinaro Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  EXCEL SPORTS MANAGEMENT

  The firm’s world-class talent roster means Matus and Molinaro work daily to support the highest levels of athletic achievement: Caitlin Clark’s court dominance, Derek Jeter’s Hall of Fame legacy, Tiger Woods’ five-time Masters Tournament wins, Nikola Jokić’s stunning NBA record and Raiders quarterback Fernando Mendoza’s rising star power, just to name a handful of the firm’s clients.

  HOW HAS AI CHANGED SPORTS? Molinaro: “AI makes protecting athletes’ name, image, likeness and voice more important than ever so that innovation is paired with consent, control and fair compensation.”

• Richard Rubano & Mark Whitaker Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  DLA PIPER

  Name a sports league, and chances are, Rubano has brokered a deal with it. He’s led high-value investment transactions across the NFL, NBA, MLB, MLS and WNBA, as well as the U.K. football league EPL, Italian football league Serie A and France’s Ligue 1. This year, his deals broke records. For the San Francisco 49ers, Rubano guided multiple minority equity stake sales achieving a then-record $8.6 billion valuation. He also advised on the sale of a minority equity stake in the Chicago Bears at an $8.8 billion valuation and on a minority equity sale for the 49ers at a $9 billion valuation. The lawyer behind some of the most iconic American sports venues, Whitaker is advising on active projects worth a combined $10 billion-plus. He’s lead counsel on the Commanders’ $3.7 billion stadium development while also steering the Tennessee Titans’ $2.2 billion stadium and Jacksonville Jaguars’ $1.4 billion stadium redevelopment for EverBank Stadium.

• Amy Siegel Image Credit: Courtesy of Subject

  O’MELVENY & MYERS

  Before 1.8 billion people tuned in to watch Spain and Argentina battle for the 2026 FIFA World Cup title at MetLife Stadium, Siegel made sure the NYNJ World Cup 26 & Telemundo Fan Village at Rockefeller Center went up without a hitch. As outside counsel to FIFA’s New York New Jersey Host Committee, she handled negotiations with real estate corporation Tishman Speyer that led to the flagship Manhattan fan experience for the tournament’s knockout stage of 32 matches, including the ultimate global watch party. Massive screens, live performances and food vendors entertained thousands of fans.

  WHAT’S NEXT FOR WOMEN’S SPORTS? “More investment, bigger audiences and greater commercial opportunities.”

  This story appeared in the Aug. 12 issue of The Hollywood Reporter magazine. Click here to subscribe.

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