As billion-dollar media deals reshape conferences and athletes monetize personal brands, the legal landscape for US college sports is shifting in real time. Morgan Lewis helps clients leverage this evolution, guiding institutions and individuals through new opportunities and challenges alike.
Comprehensive Legal Support
We provide tailored legal solutions across all aspects of college sports. Our team advises on:
- Name, image, and likeness (NIL) agreements and influencer contracts that comply with NCAA regulations and state laws
- Student-athlete classification matters, including claims regarding employment status, potential unionization efforts and dispute resolution
- Title IX compliance for institutions maintaining gender equity across athletic programs and scholarships
- Organizational design to effectively manage athletes’ and other constituents’ affairs
Tailored Advice for Every Stakeholder
Our practice serves a diverse range of clients across the collegiate sports industry. Ranging from colleges and universities to individual athletes, sports agents, representatives and sponsors, advertisers, and merchandisers, we advise on all types of:
- Athletic programs and compliance matters
- Contractual and legal issues
- Promotions, sponsorships, and events
- Novel issues that permeate the expanding women’s sports market
Addressing Industry Trends
Our team is dedicated to remaining at the forefront of key developments in college sports, such as:
- Conference realignments and the legal implications of major conference expansions and negotiations for broadcast rights
- The shift of media toward streaming services and digital platforms to maximize revenue
- Changes in NCAA rules and National Labor Relations Board (NLRB) decisions that could redefine athlete status