In recent months at Bishop & Sewell we’ve worked on an array of sports contracts, including sponsorship deals, kit and merchandise agreements, endorsement contracts and appearance / influencer arrangements with sportspeople.
At all levels – from grassroots to teams that compete on the biggest stages – the importance of a sound contract cannot be understated. It is crucial if you want to minimise your risk exposure, reduce the chance of potentially costly future disputes, be clear on each party’s obligations and comply with the regulations of any relevant governing body (and the list goes on and on).
Our experience is that a surprising proportion of organisations in the world of sport take an informal / relaxed approach to their commercial contracts, either producing short-form contracts themselves without a solicitor’s input or simply agreeing to the contract proposed by the other contracting party with little or no negotiation. Funds are often seen as better allocated towards things like player wages, stadiums, equipment, marketing and staff, which is hardly surprising given the constant pressure to succeed and improve faced by every team.
I also suspect that because we have become so used to reading articles about top football club’s astronomic legal fees, there is an unhelpful (but understandable) perception that legal fees in the sector are disproportionate. The obvious example is Manchester City, who have reportedly spent upwards of £200 million on lawyers over the past five years – Eye-watering legal costs of Manchester City’s 130 charges case with Premier League revealed.
However, prioritising short term financial savings over risk management and long term stability is a dicey approach which we have seen backfire on many occasions, and fees do not need to be disproportionate.
The reality is that if you are a Sunday league team agreeing to advertise a local business on one of your pitch side advertising boards, you probably won’t need a sophisticated, 20-page contract. In circumstances like these, it is often the case that a short-form contract or a cursory review of your pre-existing agreement that identifies any ‘red flags’ and inconsistencies is sufficient. In comparison, if you are competing in front of crowds of thousands and there are large sums at play, a more detailed contract should be in place. As the stakes increase, teams should consider having an established suite of contracts in place to ensure maximum protection, consistency and efficiency in the long term.
If you operate in the sports sector and think you might benefit from anything from a sense check of a pre-existing contract to a sophisticated suite of contracts, please feel free to contact one of our firm’s specialist sports lawyers for an initial no-obligation consultation.
Charles Wilson is a Solicitor at Bishop & Sewell in our expert Sports Law and Corporate & Commercial teams.
If you would like to contact him, please call 020 7631 4141 or email: company@bishopandsewell.co.uk.
The above is accurate as at 8 September 2025.
The information above may be subject to change.
The content of this note should not be considered legal advice, and each matter should be considered on a case-by-case basis.
