Biography

Daniel Etna is a partner in the Corporate Department, and co-chair of the firm’s Sports Law Group.

Dan counsels a diverse group of domestic and international clients, including middle market companies, high-net-worth investors, professional sports teams and joint venture partners. Clients have come to rely on Dan’s ability to strategize, negotiate and create solutions for closing a wide variety of complex and novel transactions.

Dan frequently lectures on sports law topics, such as daily fantasy sports, sports broadcasting trends and the legalization of sports betting, as well as a variety of private and public company topics. He has appeared on national television, most notably Fox News, CNBC and Bloomberg News, and regularly speaks at industry conferences. Dan is also often quoted in The Wall Street Journal, The New York Times, Forbes, ESPN, Sports Business Journal, Law360, The Deal and other major media outlets.

Sports Law

Consistently named a top sports lawyer in The Best Lawyers in America, Dan has significant experience on matters related to the business of professional sports. His experience includes the sale and acquisition of sports franchises; stadium and arena development, construction and financing (including the new Yankee Stadium), and broadcast and digital media agreements. Dan also advises on concession agreements, sponsorship and naming rights agreements, ticketing and personal seat licensing agreements, league-wide and individual team debt financings, memorabilia sales agreements and sports-related joint ventures. Dan has also counseled NBA All-Star and NFL All-Pro players in connection with their private investment activities.

Dan’s sports clients include the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs, Brooklyn Nets, Tampa Bay Lightning, Swansea City A.F.C. and Major League Soccer teams D.C. United and New York City Football Club.

Some of his high-profile transactions include:

  • Creation of the YES Network (the flagship regional sports network of the New York Yankees and Brooklyn Nets)
  • Formation of Legends Hospitality (a concessions and stadium consulting joint venture controlled by the New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys)
  • Amalie Arena naming rights agreement for the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lightning
  • Sale of a majority interest in the YES Network to 21st Century Fox
  • Conduit bond financing for the new Yankee Stadium project in excess of $1.4 billion
  • Yankee Stadium’s concession services agreement
  • Admission of New York City Football Club as a member of Major League Soccer
  • Radio rights licenses for the New York Yankees, Chicago Cubs and New York City Football Club
  • Acquisitions of the Scranton-Wilkes Barre RailRiders (Class AAA minor league affiliate of the New York Yankees) and Lexington Legends (Class A affiliate of the Kansas City Royals)
  • Advising a final round bidder group for the NFL’s Buffalo Bills
  • Negotiated Legends Hospitality’s partnership with Live Nation to provide concession services at 34 Live Nation-managed North America amphitheaters

Mergers & Acquisitions

Dan has advised issuers and investors on numerous public and private company mergers, leveraged and non-leveraged acquisitions and dispositions, troubled company restructurings and reorganizations, friendly and hostile tender offers and proxy contests, joint ventures and going private transactions.

Corporate Finance

Dan’s practice includes representing issuers, borrowers and investors in public offerings and private placements of debt and equity securities, private investments in public equity (PIPEs), multi-layered bank financings, issuer exchange and tender offers, sale/leasebacks of aircraft and other capital equipment, distressed bank debt trading and venture capital investments.

General Corporate Representation

He counsels on employment, severance and consulting agreements, stock option and other types of incentive and executive compensation plans, corporate governance issues, SEC compliance and reporting issues, and general corporate agreements such as licensing, distribution, marketing and supply agreements.

Memberships & Associations

  • New York City Bar Association
    • Sports Law Committee
  • TAGLaw®
    • Member, Sports & Entertainment Specialty Group
  • Wharton Club of New York Business of Sports Group, Co-Chair