Daniel A. Etna, Partner

Represented a prominent real estate firm, as lead counsel, in structuring and negotiating primary naming rights and secondary cornerstone sponsorship agreements for a proposed mixed-use real estate and stadium development project located on the west side of Manhattan.

Represented the New York Yankees in the issuance of $1.5 billion in municipal tax-free and taxable bonds by the New York City Industrial Development Agency, which financed the lease and construction of the new Yankee Stadium. We drafted and negotiated the lease agreement for the new stadium, as well as ancillary real estate agreements pertaining to parking lots and garages; construction, demolition and insurance, and public transportation. We were also integrally involved in navigating the Yankees through the lengthy federal, state and local governmental permit and approval process.

Represented Legends Hospitality in a joint venture with Major League Soccer’s Los Angeles FC to provide concessions services at the team’s new 22,000-seat soccer stadium.

Represented an affiliate of Legends Hospitality in the purchase of a mobile and Bluetooth-enabled point-of-sale (POS) system for use at stadiums and arenas. The POS system streamlines the purchase process for both the venue and the fans thereby effecting a more seamless experience at a game or concert. 

Representing Q4 America, a Los Angeles-based start-up performance basketball brand, in intellectual property matters related to the development of a new brand of sneakers, sponsorships, athlete endorsements and capital raises.

Represented Sterling Equities in the purchase of the Syracuse Chiefs, a Triple-A baseball team in Syracuse, New York.

Represented Major League Soccer’s D.C. United in the construction financing and naming rights transactions for the club’s new state-of-the-art soccer-specific stadium in Southwest D.C., Audi Field.

Represent the EMMES Group of Companies, a privately owned real estate investment advisory firm in all corporate and employment matters.

Represented Yankee Global Enterprises, as lead counsel, in connection with various ownership transfers involving the New York Yankees.

Representing the University of Nevada, Las Vegas, in negotiating a joint-use agreement with the NFL’s Las Vegas Raiders related to the development of the $1.9 billion Las Vegas Stadium.

Represented Legends Hospitality in an investment in VenueNext, a technology company that provides smartphone-based software that gathers fan metrics and analytics at stadiums, arenas and other large scale entertainment venues.

Analysis of MLB league-wide proposal to provide the Office of the Commissioner of Baseball with greater oversight and involvement in MLB team bankruptcy and other insolvency proceedings.

Represented Champions League, Inc., in the formation and organization of a new basketball league featuring former NBA players, including league structuring, antitrust, ownership, securities law and franchise law issues, and the sale of the initial franchises.

Represented Legends Hospitality in a major strategic partnership with Live Nation to provide concession services at 34 of Live Nation's music venues in North America. The partnership represents one of the largest venue food and beverage contracts in history.

Represented client in a consulting arrangement with Sports Professional Management, Inc., a sports agency business.

Represented an affiliate of New York City Football Club in a memorandum of understanding with the City of New York for the financing, development and construction of a new soccer stadium.

Represented Legends Hospitality in a proposed investment in software that consolidates sports franchise data.

Represented Sterling Equities in the joint venture formation of the Brooklyn Bolts, one of four teams in the new Fall Experimental Football League ("FXFL"). The FXFL is a professional football league which serves as a developmental platform for players, coaches and referees.

Represented a private equity firm in establishing a semi-independent venture capital fund platform, including the negotiation of the terms of the venture capital fund platform documents and related compensation and governance issues.

Represented domestic and foreign private equity investors affiliated with Balfour Investors Inc. (“Balfour”) in the formation of Cleancor Energy Solutions LLC (“Cleancor”) joint venture. Cleancor is an energy merchant bank focusing on financing for and investment in clean-fuel start-up or early stage enterprises, technologies, infrastructure, logistics services and projects. Balfour is a merchant bank whose principals have acquired assets across a multitude of industries for more than 35 years.

Represented the New York Yankees and Yankee Global Enterprises in 21st Century Fox's multi-billion dollar acquisition of a majority stake in the Yankees Entertainment and Sports Network (YES Network). The two-step acquisition raised 21st Century Fox's ownership position in the regional sports network to 80 per cent. The remaining 20 per cent stake continues to be held by Yankee Global Enterprises.

Represented an affiliate of Yankee Global Enterprises, LLC and the New York Yankees in their joint venture with Manchester City to create New York City FC, Major League Soccer's 20th franchise.

Represented private equity investment firm in the arrangement of a joint venture with the objective of expanding fiber optic cable networks in a major municipality.

Represented a New York-based provider of managed IT services in negotiation of technology agreements to provide certain data and communications network services to commercial office buildings.