The lawyers in Baker Botts' entertainment, media and sports practice handle domestic and international disputes in the entertainment law arena, and represent clients on such entertainment issues as film and TV production and distribution, representation of authors and screenwriters, acquisition of rights, multimedia and technology financing, intellectual property matters, corporate transactions, taxation issues and private and public offerings. We are also well positioned to assist clients with online streaming media and other digital technologies.
Our entertainment industry clients have included large cable television and media conglomerates, wholesale video distributors, national television and radio networks, audiovisual imagery companies and manufacturers of the computers that produce special effects for today's films.
The sports and arts organizations and individuals we have represented include professional national sports teams, symphony and ballet companies, university sports programs, sports figures and artists. Since 1965, we have represented NASCAR and the International Speedway Corporation on issues ranging from drafting rules for competition to litigating with respect to the governance of competition. We have provided advice on sports marketing, drug testing policies, antitrust matters, facility construction, intellectual property issues, players' rights and obligations, and contract rights and use of the Internet.
In representing national professional sports teams, we have developed significant experience in:
- Negotiating player trades and contracts
- Purchasing and selling NBA, NHL and AHL teams along with all related litigation
- Litigating virtually every type of dispute that can affect a professional sports team
Representative Experience
- Representation of major motion picture distributors in an action brought by the operators of independent theaters alleging monopolization, attempted monopolization, group boycott and violation of the Texas Deceptive Trade Practices Act
- Patent infringement litigation involving interactive cable television technology
- Indemnity agreements and litigation for entertainment and sports clients
- Litigation on behalf of a number of movie producers over accounting for movie receipts
- Defending a newspaper publisher against claims of personal injury and wrongful death caused by the negligence of the employer
- Litigating personal cases for professional athletes and sports agents