Eric H. Geffner

ERIC GEFFNER serves as a trusted advisor to clients, representing private companies and investors in connection with mergers and acquisitions, dispositions, co-investments, joint ventures, and other general corporate matters, with a focus on sports, entertainment, and media.

Eric represents professional sports teams in a number of major U.S. professional sports leagues and sports-related start-ups, including in connection with day-to-day business operations, equity financings, sponsorship deals, licensing deals, stadium and practice facility deals, and other commercial matters. He also represents individuals, groups, and private equity firms on investments in, and acquisitions of, major professional sports and e-sports teams in the U.S. and abroad, including expansion teams.

Entertainment and media clients of Eric’s include leading film and television studios, independent production companies, innovative content distributors, and a live entertainment conglomerate, whom he guides through strategic growth investments, buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions, joint ventures, and day-to-day business operations.

Eric also represents private equity firms and their portfolio companies on buy-side and sell-side M&A transactions, including cross-border and carve-out transactions. He has also advised clients regarding various issues relating to intellectual property, technology, privacy and data security, including in connection with mergers and acquisitions, and secured financings.

Eric was named to the Los Angeles Business Journal’s “LA500” list in 2025, as well as The Hollywood Reporter’s inaugural “2025 Top Sports Lawyers” list. He was also recognized by Variety in its 2023 and 2025 “Legal Impact Report.”

Sports Experience

• World Sevens Football (W7F) in connection with: (i) its creation and launch of a new global 7-on-7 women’s soccer competition series; and (ii) its inaugural North American tournament, which is scheduled to take place December 5–7, 2025, in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
• Emirates Team New Zealand, America’s Cup Defender, in connection with the launch of the America’s Cup Partnership, an innovative venture that will operate the 38th Louis Vuitton America’s Cup and future editions of the event.
• Matt Hulsizer and Jenny Just, co-founders and managing partners of PEAK6 Investments LLC, in their investment in Austin FC.
• An investor in the consortium led by Alex Rodriguez and Marc Lore that acquired a controlling interest in the NBA’s Minnesota Timberwolves and WNBA’s Lynx.
• World Sevens Football in connection with the creation and launch of new global 7-on-7 women’s soccer competition series.
• The Association of Volleyball Professionals (AVP) in connection with its multi-year media rights deals with CBS Television Network and The CW Network.
• Chess.com in a multiyear partnership agreement with the Esports World Cup Foundation, the organizer of the 2025 Esports World Cup (EWC), an affiliate of the Saudia Arabia Public Investment Fund.
• Angel City FC (ACFC) and its ownership group, including in: (i) securing the expansion rights to launch the National Women's Soccer League's (NWSL) 11th team in Los Angeles in 2022; (ii) equity financing matters, including ACFC’s 2024 control sale transaction with Willow Bay and Bob Iger that valued the team at US$250 million; (iii) various commercial matters, including ACFC’s stadium deal with LAFC to use Banc of California Stadium, its training facility deal and related partnership with California Lutheran University and various sponsorship deals, including its “front of kit” jersey sponsorship deal with DoorDash and sponsorship deals with Birdies, Sprouts, Cedars Sinai, Curateur, Heineken, Jane Walker and Therabody; and (iv) various day-to-day matters.
• Heath Freeman, a media, sports, real estate, and hospitality executive, in the acquisition of the second-ever location-based BIG3 franchise with plans to base the team in Miami.
• A diverse group led by Laura Ricketts and other prominent Chicago women business and civic leaders in its acquisition of the Chicago Red Stars NWSL franchise, valued at US$60 million.
• Gabe Plotkin in his consortium’s purchase of the NBA’s Charlotte Hornets from Michael Jordan. The transaction is valued at approximately US$3 billion.
• Multiple investors, including Mitch Rales and Magic Johnson, in the Josh Harris-led consortium that acquired the Washington Commanders of the NFL from the Snyder family. The US$6.05 billion purchase price was the highest price ever paid for a professional sports franchise.
• Monarch Collective, a new US$100 million investment fund focused exclusively on women’s professional sports that will make investments in women’s sports teams, leagues and related revenue streams, such as licensing and media.
• Jeff Skoll in connection with his minority investment in Monumental Sports & Entertainment, which owns and operates the Washington Wizards, Washington Capitals and Washington Mystics.
• Private equity firm Arctos Sports Partners in minority investments in National Hockey League (NHL) and National Basketball Association (NBA) franchises.
• Todd Boehly, Co-Founder, Chairman and CEO of Eldridge Industries, LLC, in his acquisition of a minority interest in the Los Angeles Lakers NBA franchise.
• Genius Sports in a landmark strategic partnership with the CFL, the second-largest football league globally.
• Kansas City Current and its ownership group led by wife and husband team Angie and Chris Long, including in securing the right to bring the 12th NWSL team to Kansas City and various commercial matters.
• The owners of the Portland Sea Dogs, a Major League Baseball (MLB)-affiliated Minor League Baseball (MiLB) club based in Portland, Maine, in connection with the sale of the Sea Dogs to an affiliate of Diamond Baseball Holdings.
• The Greg Norman Company in LIV Golf Investments’ joint venture with The Public Investment Fund (PIF) and Saudi Sovereign Wealth Fund.
• Investors in a 49ers Enterprises investment in English Premier League (EPL) club Leeds United.
• Athletes Unlimited and its co-founders Jon Patricof and Jonathan Soros in league formation and strategic plan to disrupt women's league structures and athlete empowerment with an innovative model of competition and ownership.
• Various high-net-worth individuals and groups in connection with minority investments in or the acquisition of a controlling interest in major professional sports teams in the U.S. and abroad.

Entertainment and Media Experience

• Eldridge Industries, in its acquisition alongside Dick Clark Productions, of all the Golden Globes’ assets, rights, and properties from the Hollywood Foreign Press Association.
• Live Nation Entertainment and its affiliate Insomniac in a number of strategic growth acquisitions and joint ventures.
• Leading global media and entertainment company ViacomCBS in its acquisition of a 49% stake in MIRAMAX.
• Sony Music Entertainment Japan in its acquisition of 49% of the 80% stake held by DHX Media in the iconic Peanuts brand.
• Warner Bros. in its acquisition of Machinima, a global digital programming service focused on fandom and gamer culture.
• Independent film production company Good Universe in its sale to Lions Gate.
• Creative Artists Agency in connection with various joint ventures and strategic partnership, including in connection with (i) Library Pictures International, a joint venture Legendary Pictures to fund local language production slates in India, Latin America and Spain, with Malaysia, Indonesia, South Korea, Vietnam and China, and (ii) Spyglass Media Group, a comedy film joint venture known as Artists Road with Propagate Content, Artists First, and Off-Road Productions.
• CBS Corporation in its strategic partnership with PatMa Productions, a multiplatform independent production company aimed at amplifying diverse voices.
• 30West, an investment and advisory company focused on film, media, and other aspects of popular culture, in its majority investment in NEON Rated, a U.S. film production and distribution company.
• Univision Communications Inc. in corporate and M&A matters related to its US$135 million purchase of digital media assets from Gawker Media Group Inc., as part of Gawker's bankruptcy proceedings.
• The seller of a major Asian television network to an international media company.

Private Equity and M&A Experience

• A private equity firm in its acquisition of a leading multi-player online gaming developer.
• A private equity firm in its acquisition of a leading women's fashion and retail brand.
• A private equity firm in its investment in a global consumer electronics company.
• A private equity firm in its multi-billion acquisition of one of the largest cable communications system operators in the U.S.
• A fashion model management company in its acquisition of another fashion model management company.

Some of the above matters were handled prior to joining Sidley. 

• Editorial Advisory Board Member, Law360 2022 Sports & Betting