Adam Sullins is Global Co-Chair of the firm's Entertainment, Sports & Media Practice and Industry Groups. He represents sports teams, owners and investors, media companies, corporate sponsors, as well as leagues, players associations, governing bodies, and athletes on a full spectrum of matters across the sports industry.

With many years of sports industry experience, Adam regularly advises on:

  • Acquisition and sale of ownership stakes in sports franchises (including expansion efforts) and other companies
  • Broadcast and new media deals
  • Corporate sponsorship, endorsement, and other commercial deals
  • Strategic ventures
  • Licensing
  • League ownership rules and regulations
  • esports transactions

Sponsorship & Naming Rights 

  • Hard Rock Digital in new sponsorship agreements with the Florida Panthers of the NHL, NASCAR, and the Daytona International Speedway
  • GOAT on a multiyear global partnership with Paris Saint-Germain FC to become the new official sleeve partner
  • Intuit in an exclusive naming rights partnership with the LA Clippers
  • Caesars Entertainment in an exclusive naming-rights partnership with the New Orleans Saints to rebrand their stadium as the Caesars Superdome
  • Caesars Entertainment in a multi-year agreement integrating Caesar's partner, William Hill, across ESPN digital platforms
  • Postmates in an exclusive multi-year sponsorship agreement with the NFL
  • Meta on its appointment as sponsor of the Rugby World Cup France 2023
  • 888 Holdings in an exclusive US sports betting and gaming partnership with Authentic Brands Group’s Sports Illustrated
  • Self Financial on team jersey sponsorships with the San Antonio Spurs
  • National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in its league-wide corporate sponsorship agreement with A&E Networks
  • Caesars Entertainment in various sponsorship and hospitality deals with sports leagues and NFL, MLB, and MLS teams

Sports & Media Rights

  • All Elite Wrestling on its multi-year, multi-platform media rights agreement with Warner Bros. Discovery
  • Amazon Prime Video in connection with its landmark media rights deal with the NBA
  • Buzzer in short form live content agreements with the PGA TOUR and for National Hockey League games
  • National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) in its national media rights deal with A&E Networks
  • DraftKings, Inc. in its broadcast commercial agreements with ESPN, Fox, and the NFL Network
  • The NCAA in its eight-year, US$8.8 billion multimedia rights agreement with CBS Sports and Turner Broadcasting for the Division I Men’s Basketball Championship 
  • Facebook in its acquisition of sports distribution rights across the globe, including for events such as UEFA Champions League, CONMEBOL Copa Libertadores, La Liga, and ICC
  • Arizona Diamondbacks on its multi-year broadcast and media agreement with Fox Sports and related matters
  • Univision Communications on various types of sports matters, including its exclusive Spanish language broadcast rights for FIFA, UEFA, USSF, MLS, and CONCACAF
  • Tencent Holdings Limited in various media agreements with the NBA, FIBA, NFL, MLB, NHL, and ESPN
  • US Figure Skating Association in a broadcast agreement with NBC Sports
  • Dapper Labs on a long-term renewal with the NBA for the NBA Top Shot NFT product and related equity grants
  • Greenfly, Inc., a provider of online engagement apps, in various licensing agreements with Nike, Manchester City Football Club, Liverpool Football Club, Paris Saint-Germain Football Club, the NBA, NBC Sports, and others
  • Anaheim Ducks on its multi-year broadcast and media agreement with Fox Sports

Other Commercial Rights 

  • World Surf League in its agreements to bring WSL tour events to a newly built man-made wave venue in the UAE
  • World Surf League in a licensing agreement for us of WSL intellectual property and branding
  • FIFA in connection with the host city selection for the 2026 FIFA World Cup and related matters
  • FIFA and the United States Soccer Federation in the host city selection process for the 2026 World Cup hosted by the U.S., Canada and Mexico
  • The General Sports Authority on hosting new World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE) events in the Middle East, as well as related broadcasting and sponsorship rights, as well as related broadcasting and sponsorship rights

Team M&A and Strategic Investments 

  • Nicole Padgett in the acquisition of an ownership interest in the Tampa Bay Lightning of the NHL
  • Connecticut Sports Group’s MLS NEXT Pro Expansion Team
  • Blue Owl HomeCourt Partners purchase of a majority stake in the Charlotte Hornets
  • Tom Brady in his acquisition of a minority stake in the Las Vegas Aces of the WNBA  
  • A consortium led by Todd Boehly, chairman and CEO of Eldridge, and Clearlake Capital Group, L.P., on its acquisition of Chelsea Football Club
  • Acquisition by Stormlight Holdings of a minority stake in Swansea City A.F.C., a Wales-based football club
  • Silver Lake on its US$500 million strategic investment in City Football Group
  • Dyal Capital in its acquisition of a minority stake in the Sacramento Kings
  • The Silverstein Family in its investment in DC United
  • NWSL in a transaction involving investment in the league by A&E Networks, including the formation of a new strategic joint venture

Sports and Media Strategic M&A & Joint Ventures

  • Skydance Media in its partnership with the NFL and NFL Films to create the premier global multi-sports production studio in the industry, Skydance Sports
  • Howard Hughes Holdings in certain MLB matters in connection with the spinoff of the Las Vegas Aviators into a new publicly-traded entity
  • Endeavor in connection with the sale of various sports businesses to TKO
  • Amazon in its investment in Diamond Sports Group
  • NFL Players Association in the initial formation of a joint venture with Redbird Capital, and subsequent recapitalization with OneTeam Partners
  • Silver Lake on its investment in the new trading cards business launched by sports retailer Fanatics Trading Cards
  • Endeavor in its acquisition of On Location Experiences, a provider of ticketing, hospitality, live event production and travel management services to the sports and entertainment industries
  • Sinclair Broadcast Group in its acquisition of 21 Regional Sports Networks from The Walt Disney Company
  • Sinclair Broadcast Group in the formation of a joint venture (Marquee Sports Network) with the Chicago Cubs, and license by the network of broadcast rights to Cubs games and programming
  • Sinclair Broadcast Group in the acquisition of YES Network, along with the New York Yankees and other equity partners

Bar Qualification

  • California
  • Illinois

Education

  • JD, University of California, Los Angeles, 1999
  • BA, Yale University, 1996
Sullins, Adam J.
September 29, 2022 Recognition

MVP: Latham’s Adam Sullins

Global Co-Chair of the Entertainment, Sports & Media practice and Vice Chair of the Entertainment, Sports & Media Industry Group honored for securing Caesars Entertainment the naming rights to the Superdome in New Orleans and helping the US secure its bid to host the 2026 FIFA World Cup.