Irwin A. Kishner, Partner

Irwin’s significant sports law experience spans three decades, during which time he has advised on a wide range of high-profile matters, including:

Mergers, Acquisitions and Joint Ventures:

• The representation of Yankee Global Enterprises in connection with Walt Disney Company’s sale of its equity interest in the YES Network to a newly formed investor group with a total enterprise value of over $3 billion.
• The New York Yankees and Dallas Cowboys' joint venture formation of Legends Hospitality, and the ongoing representation of the company in major initiatives, including its equity investment in DraftKings, its development of the World Trade Center’s One World Observatory and its equity interest acquisition in MainGate, Inc., a leading event, retail and merchandise company.
• The representation of long-standing client Legends Hospitality in its entry into a share purchase agreement with the private equity firm Sixth Street. Under the share purchase agreement, Sixth Street acquired a controlling interest in Legends Hospitality.
• The representation of Legends in its acquisition of 4Front, a global data and analytics, innovation and digital media agency.
• The formation of YankeeNets LLC, a first-of-its-kind joint venture between the New Jersey Nets and the New York Yankees, YankeesNets’ acquisition of the New Jersey Devils and the later restructuring of the company which led to the creation of Yankee Global Enterprises.
• The formation and longtime operation of the YES and SNY regional sports networks, as well as the multi-billion sale of the YES Network to 21st Century Fox
• The representation of Legends Hospitality in its entry into a share purchase agreement with private equity firm Sixth Street in which Sixth Street acquired a controlling interest in Legends Hospitality. 
• Many prominent sports-entertainment joint ventures, including the Yankees and Hard Rock’s creation of NYY Steakhouses across the U.S., and a major food and beverage partnership between Legends Hospitality and Live Nation covering 34 U.S. arena.
• The $100 million joint venture formation of Major League Soccer’s New York City FC, as well as the ongoing representation of the club in various matters, including the development of a new stadium.

League and Team Formations; Franchise Bids, Acquisitions and Dispositions:

• The representation of Milwaukee Bucks co-owner, Marc Lasry, in the sale of his 25 percent stake in the team to Cleveland Brown owners Jimmy and Dee Haslam. According to ESPN, the transaction struck at a $3.5 billion valuation was the second highest valuation ever paid for an NBA team and the third highest valuation for any American professional sports team. It was a tremendously successful conclusion to Mr. Lasry’s tenure as an owner and steward of the championship Bucks.
• The formation and representation of several sports leagues, including Champions Basketball League, World Surf League and the World Freerunning & Parkour Federation
• The representation of Legends in its strategic partnership and minority investment in TeamTrak Cycling League, an entity of World Cycling Limited, to support the launch and growth of the startup indoor cycling league.  The partnership spans revenue-generating sponsorship sales and omnichannel merchandise services as well as a minority investment in TeamTrak.
• The representation of Avenue Sports Fund as lead investor in the acquisition of the U.S. team in the global sailing league SailGP. The team acquisition was the largest in SailGP history.
• Numerous bids to acquire MLB, NBA, NFL, MLS, NHL and EPL teams, including the Boston Red Sox, Florida Marlins, Los Angeles Dodgers, San Diego Padres, Minnesota Timberwolves, Buffalo Bills, New Jersey Devils, Nashville Predators, New York Islanders, Aston Villa and Everton F.C.
• Sale of interests in various teams, including the Sacramento Kings.
• The representation of minor league baseball’s Staten Island Yankees, Myrtle Beach Pelicans, Scranton Wilkes-Barre Yankees, Binghamton Mets and Brooklyn Cyclones

Sports Financings:

• More than $50 billion in sports financings, advising financial institutions, bond insurers, NFL and MLB teams, management firms, minor league baseball teams, team owners and regional sports networks.
• The representation of Yankee Global Enterprises in connection with the issuance by the New York City Industrial Agency of approximately $927 million of refunding bonds for the benefit of the Yankees. 

Media Rights Transactions:

• Significant television, telecast, radio and new media rights agreements for rights holders, broadcasters and professional teams, including the Nets, Cubs, Yankees, New York City FC, SNY and YES Networks and a multi-year telecast rights agreement between the New York Racing Association and Fox Sports Media.

Stadium and Arena Development:

• Fifteen major stadium and arena transactions, including the development and $1.4 billion financing of the new Yankee Stadium, the development of Citi Field, the negotiation of a joint-use agreement with the NFL's Las Vegas Raiders related to the development of the Las Vegas Stadium, the New York Islanders Hockey Club’s negotiation of a partnership in connection with the development of a new arena complex at Belmont Park Racetrack; operational and promotional matters associated with the Pro Football Hall of Fame Village

Naming rights, sponsorship, and concessions transactions:

• The representation of major stadiums across the U.S. as well as teams and leagues in naming rights, sponsorship and concessions transactions, including a concessions agreement for Angel Stadium of Anaheim, Yankee Stadium’s corporate sponsorship agreements with Toyota, AT&T and Bank of America, Belmont Park Racetrack, Audi Field; Legends International and Legends Global International in the creation of an omnichannel retail program with Spanish soccer powerhouse Real Madrid CF; New York Islanders Hockey Club in the negotiation of a concessionaire agreement with one of the largest privately held hospitality and food services companies in the world and the representation of Legends Hospitality Holding Company, LLC in its joint venture with Kroenke Sports & Entertainment to provide concession services to SoFi Stadium and the Pepsi Center, home stadium of the Denver Nuggets.

Gaming and Wagering

• Represent various clients in the rapidly evolving world of sports gaming and betting. This includes the representation of NYRA in its pari-mutuel wagering activities both in person at race track and on-line by means of advance deposit wagering. 
• The representation of NYRA Bets Holding, LLC, a subsidiary of NYRA Bets, LLC (“NYRA Bets”), the official online wagering platform of NYRA in a partnership agreement with Game of Silks (“Silks”), the online game connected to the real world of thoroughbred horse racing, resulting in NYRA Bets Holding, LLC acquiring a minority equity ownership position in Silks. In addition to this strategic investment, the partnership establishes Silks as the Official Blockchain Game and Metaverse Partner of NYRA.
• The representation of Envy Gaming in the proposed sale of a minority equity interest in the organization to a private equity firm consortium and an NBA franchise ownership group.
• The representation of NYRA in an expanded partnership agreement establishing Fox Sports as NYRA Bets' official wagering partner and the leading media provider for elite thoroughbred racing through the next decade. 

Additional Sports Transactions

• The formation and promotion of major sporting events, including the NCAA’s New Era Pinstripe Bowl, the Formula One Grand Prix at Port Imperial and the Stadium Slugfest boxing tournament.

• Selected as integrity counsel for NYRA, which runs thoroughbred racing at New York’s Aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga racetracks.
• The representation of Sun Mountain Sports, Inc., a leading producer of golf equipment and apparel, in a sale of business transaction to a private investment firm, Solace Capital Partners.
• Ultimate Fighting Championship’s August 2017 fight between Floyd Mayweather and Conor McGregor. 
• Counseled LIV Golf on a spectrum of issues including general employment matters, ticketing issues, broadcast and media rights, liability issues and amd ongoing business operations and franchising matters.

• Numerous sales and acquisitions for Leland’s, a leading memorabilia company, involving some of sports and entertainment’s most hallowed treasures, including:
  • Wilt Chamberlain’s 100-point basketball
  • Muhammad Ali’s Olympic gold medal
  • Jim Brown’s 1964 NFL championship ring
  • The estate of Mickey Mantle
  • The San Francisco Examiner’s collection of sports photos
  • Barry Bonds’ 73rd home run baseball
  • A major collection of Roberto Clemente baseball cards
  • The original Howdy Doody puppet
  • A Superman #1 comic book
  • Brown Brothers archival of historical sports photos spanning over a century
  • A team photograph of the 1914 Baltimore Orioles featuring Babe Ruth
• Acted as outside counsel to the Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, NY