World Rugby
Our deep relationship with World Rugby encompasses enforcing anti-doping regulations, sponsorship, licensing and hosting contracts for Rugby World Cups and the World 7s Series, IP protection, player welfare, agents’ regulations and the recent acquisition of streaming platform RugbyPass.
“Onside Law have a team of technical but pragmatic lawyers, with a deep knowledge of sports governing body and event owner structures. We find them very user friendly and easy to work with.”
AC Milan
Onside Law have worked with AC Milan for a number of years.
As various American owners have modernised their commercial rights we have advised AC Milan on negotiations for all their key commercial partnerships including Kit supply and merchandising with PUMA, Shirt sponsorship with Emirates, on shirt sponsorship with Bitmex and WeFox, NFT/Crypto partnerships with Sorare and OneFootball and media rights licenses with DAZN, Infront and US broadcasters.
“We have come to really value Onside Law as trusted legal advisors to AC Milan. Each member of the Onside team has a high level of technical expertise and understands the quality of output we are looking for. Onside’s ability to react quickly and deliver knowledgeable recommendations across a broad range of topics has brought real added value to a number of our commercial discussions. We look forward to continuing to build on this successful relationship.”
Jude Bellingham
Partner Oliver Hunt is a member of “Team Bellingham”, which looks after all of Jude Bellingham’s affairs.
Advice includes transfers from Birmingham City to Borussia Dortmund and of course his record breaking €103 million transfer to Real Madrid as well as advising on all his commercial affairs, including endorsements with adidas & EA Sports.
“A massive thank you to Onside Law who helped us sift through all the legal stuff and made the complicated simple.”
Mark Bellingham
Heart of Midlothian F.C.
We advised Heart of Midlothian F.C. and owner Ann Budge on the complex and emotional transfer of majority ownership to the supporters’ group Foundation of Hearts.
As a consequence Hearts become the largest fan-owned football club in the UK.
“It was fantastic to work with the team at Onside Law on this transaction. In particular, the corporate expertise of Simon Thorp and Harriet Leach in football and sport more generally was outstanding and has proven invaluable.”
Ann Budge
England and Wales Cricket Board
The ECB first instructed Onside Law in 2007, and we have been supporting and advising them ever since.
Every part of the firm has been involved with the ECB relationship as advice includes every aspect of the creation and delivery of the Hundred from drawing board to delivery, creating and negotiating the central contract system securing ECB’s access to England’s finest players, corporate structuring, constitutional and regulatory reforms, reviews and investigations, franchise and participation agreements, trademark and IP strategy, hosting and venue agreements for ICC global events, and all sponsorship contracts across tests, ODIs, T20s and the Hundred.
“Onside Law’s advice and judgment on numerous complex and high-profile matters has been first class, and their personable and highly responsive team has become a seamless and integral part of the ECB’s operations at all levels.”
International Tennis Integrity Agency
Our journey with the ITIA started at the very beginning when we advised on the creation of the original Tennis Integrity Unit in 2006. As the TIU progressed and became the ITIA, we have advised at every step of the way on all aspects of prevention, investigation and enforcement of integrity and doping issues.
Prosecuting over 50 cases at both first instance and on appeal at the Court of Arbitration for Sport in Lausanne.
“Onside Law’s expertise, combined with a truly thorough and impressive knowledge of our industry, has resulted in an overall service that we are very satisfied with. They provide a first rate service that caters to our needs in both a shrewd and efficient manner.”
International Tennis Federation
Two Circles
We initially advised the founders of TRM on setting up their business.
As they grew we advised throughout their development culminating in the sale of the business to Two Circles.
Thereafter we advised Two Circles on their business including data exploitation and protection, employment, IP and commercial contracts as well as the acquisitions of both LiveWire Sport, a content production specialist and Codeware.
“When the time came to negotiate the sale of the business to Two Circles, the Onside M&A team provided outstanding counsel throughout, taking what is often a stressful experience for founder sellers and turning it into a positive and rewarding process.”
TRM Partners
