EXPERIENCE

Rick’s experience includes representing:

Mergers and Acquisitions

• Content Partners in film and television library acquisitions
• Endeavor in its pending US$13 billion sale to Silver Lake
• Endeavor in its US$21 billion merger of UFC and WWE
• Endeavor in its US$775 million sale of a majority interest in Endeavor Content to CJ ENM
• Endeavor in acquisitions and investments involving Asylum Entertainment Group, Barrett Jackson and Reigning Champs
• Entertainment Studios (Allen Media Group) in acquisitions of multiple broadcast television stations
• Houston Rockets in the acquisition of AT&T SportsNet Southwest with the Houston Astros
• JTBC/SLL in acquiring a majority interest in Wiip, a production company founded by CAA
• Legendary Entertainment in its sale to Dalian Wanda
• MarVista Entertainment in its sale to Fox Entertainment
• Mediawan in acquiring a controlling stake in Plan B, Brad Pitt’s content production company
• MGM in its US$8.45 billion merger with Amazon
• MGM in its acquisition of full ownership of EPIX from Lionsgate, Viacom, and Paramount
• Silver Lake Partners in acquiring TEG, Asia Pacific’s leading live entertainment and ticketing company
• Shamrock Capital in its acquisition of multiple film, television, and music libraries, including from Vine Alternative Investments 
• Skydance Media in its pending merger with Paramount to form “New Paramount” at an enterprise value of approximately US$28 billion and Skydance at US$4.75 billion
• Sonar Entertainment in its sale to Chicken Soup for the Soul Entertainment
• Univision Communications in its bankruptcy acquisition of assets of the Gawker Media Group

Strategic Joint Ventures and Capital Raises

• AGBO, the independent production studio led by directors Joe and Anthony Russo, in its formation and financings
• Amazon in its pending investment in Diamond Sports Group
• Brad Weston in his arrangement with Entertainment One to create Makeready, a global content production company
• Carlyle Credit in investing in Litmus Music, a platform formed to acquire and manage music assets
• Mattel in multiple cross-border strategic investments and joint-ventures
• Media Res in its investment from Redbird IMI
• MGM in forming production company UAMG with producer Mark Burnett and subsequently acquiring full ownership of UAMG
• Participant Media in its joint venture with DreamWorks Studios and Steven Spielberg to form Amblin Partners
• Shamrock Capital in its investment in SaveLive, a live events platform that partners with iconic venues and promoters
• Silver Lake in its strategic investment in Shadowbox Studios, a premium operator of soundstage facilities
• Skydance in its arrangements with the NFL to create a joint venture focused on premium sports content
• Skydance Media in its capital raise transactions with KKR, CJ ENM, and Redbird Capital
• TPG in its establishment of a new talent representation business and simultaneous investment in Untitled Entertainment
• Univision in several joint venture arrangements, including its investment in and media rights arrangement with mixed martial arts promoter Combate Global
• Warner Bros. in investing in Spyglass Entertainment and PictureStart, as well as its joint venture with Universal Pictures to form Studio Distribution Services

Financing Transactions

• Amblin Partners in its senior secured credit facility
• An international production company in its senior secured and mezzanine financings 
• Boatrocker Studios in its senior secured credit facility
• Carlyle Credit in its senior secured financing with Park County, the producer of South Park and Book of Mormon
• HPS Investment Partners in providing debt financing for CVC’s investment in Ligue 1
• HPS Investment Partners in a debt financing for a leading independent music company
• HPS Investment Partners in its financing for Iconic Artists Group
• Legendary Entertainment in numerous senior credit, mezzanine, and single-project financings
• Skydance Media in its senior secured credit facility
• STX Entertainment in its senior secured and mezzanine financings

Complex Commercial Arrangements

• Amblin Partners, MGM, and Makeready in output distribution arrangements with major studios
• Illumination Entertainment in its arrangements with Nintendo and Universal Pictures in connection with the Super Mario film franchise
• Legendary Entertainment in a wide range of single and multi-project co-production and distribution arrangements
• Mattel and Tencent Pictures in co-production arrangements with major studios and streaming platforms
• The International Olympic Committee in major broadcast and new media license agreements*
• Univision in its strategic licensing arrangements with Grupo Televisa*
• Yoozoo Pictures in its arrangements with Netflix for a tentpole sci-fi series

*Matter handled prior to joining Latham