Horses for Courses - Why Athletes and Sports Businesses Need a Sports Lawyer

In any industry, having the right person for the job makes all the difference. You wouldn’t hire a general PT to manage an elite athlete’s strength and conditioning. You’d engage an S&C coach who understands the sport, its demands, and its risks inside and out.

The same applies to legal and business decisions in sport. A sports lawyer isn’t just a lawyer who happens to work with sports clients. They understand the unique regulations, commercial realities, and governance structures that shape the industry. They know the difference between a standard sponsorship agreement and one with complex third-party restriction considerations. They understand the regulatory bodies and integrity frameworks that can make or break a career or business.

Our clients don’t need to waste time explaining how their industry works. We already know. They come to us because we understand their world, the challenges they face, and what’s at stake. That means they can focus on their business while we handle the legal complexities that come with it.

If a pastoralist came to us with mining tenement issues, we wouldn’t be the right person for the job. That’s not our area, and they wouldn’t get the best advice from us. The same applies in sport. An athlete or sports business doesn’t just need a lawyer. They need a lawyer who knows the industry inside and out. Because in sport, like in business, the smallest details often determine the outcome.

If you or your organisation are operating in the sports industry, it makes sense to have a legal team that knows the field just as well as you do.

Matt Krog

Director