Media, Entertainment and Sports

Our lawyers ensure success from behind the scenes.

The lawyers in the Media, Sports and Entertainment group at Haynes Boone handle the gamut of issues faced by companies and organizations in these industries. Our interdisciplinary team represents clients ranging from sports franchises and stadium builders, to publishers and broadcasters, to cable, cellular and Internet service providers.

We understand the high-stakes, multimillion-dollar nature of providing entertainment to the masses, whether in person or digitally.

For sports teams, including clients such as the National Football League and a National Hockey League franchise, our services include:

  • Development and financing of sports facilities
  • Licensing, sponsorship and marketing of team memorabilia merchandise
  • Advisory and tactical support during player contract negotiations

For our media clients, which include A&E Television Networks, Star Magazine and The New York Times Company, we routinely handle matters involving:

  • Trademark and copyright issues
  • Libel and defamation
  • Invasion of privacy
  • Licensing and other issues relating to online publishing, advertising and working with freelance writers and photographers

Our lawyers also advise entertainment companies on a variety of deals and financing arrangements, including mergers and acquisitions, initial public offerings and working capital lines of credit.

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A podcast focused on new legal developments and trends impacting the media and entertainment industry, intellectual property, and open government and First Amendment law.

Representative Matters
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Status Lounge Incorporated v. KHOU-TV, Inc., Gannett Co., Inc., William Langlois, Hearst Newspapers, LLC d/b/a Houston Chronicle and Dale Lezon; Cause No. 2016-51529 in the 164th Judicial District Court of Harris County, Texas

Plaintiff, a nightclub/bar, sued our client, a television station, for its brief online article -based on a police news conference - that reported on a dispute that occurred in front of the bar and the subsequent shooting of a band member in the arm. After an initial, successful appeal of the denial [...]

Broder, et al. v. Nexstar Broadcast Group, Inc., et al.; Cause No. D-1-GN-19-000768 in the 261st Judicial District Court, Travis County, Texas

Plaintiffs, a doctor and his medical practice, filed a retaliatory lawsuit against Nexstar Broadcasting Group, Inc., alleging defamation after Nexstar’s television station, KXAN, published online and broadcast reports about inherent problems with the Texas Medical Board’s complaint and investigation [...]

Cummings v. Hechinger Institute at Teachers’ College, Columbia University, et al. (SDNY)

Represented the Hechinger Institute on Education and the Media, Teachers College, Columbia University, against Plaintiff’s claims of defamation. The claims arose from an article in the Hechinger Report concerning published allegations that Plaintiff forced black students in her middle school class t [...]

Aubrey v. D Magazine Partners, LP

Successfully defended defamation claim against magazine client regarding article discussing arson murder of prominent Dallas attorney in his garage. When case was initially filed in Florida federal court, we obtained dismissal or personal jurisdiction grounds, and when case was refiled in Texas fede [...]

Yesh Music, LLC v. Pacific Northwest College of Art (E.D.N.Y.)

Represented Pacific Northwest College of Art against claims of copyright infringement arising from the use of music on a number of YouTube videos.

Reyes v. D Magazine Partners, LP, 571 S.W.3d 753 (Tex. 2019)

Successfully defended defamation claim on behalf of magazine client, resulting in dismissal of all claims with prejudice. After the trial court enter partial summary judgment in favor of D Magazine, we appealed to the Dallas Court of Appeals, which dismissed all claims. After briefing and oral argum [...]

Fan Expo v. National Football League, 2019 WL 2211084 (Tex. App.'Dallas May 22, 2019, no pet.) ('Fan Expo II')

Successfully represented the NFL in affirming a take-nothing summary judgment in the second of several lawsuits filed by a fantasy football convention co-owned by former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Tony Romo. The Dallas Court of Appeals found that there was no evidence the NFL tortiously interfered w [...]

Mizzen and Main LLC Endorsement Deal with Prominent Professional Athlete

Represented Mizzen and Main LLC in connection with the negotiation of its endorsement deal with a prominent professional athlete.

Jones v. Kirkstall Rd. Enterprises, Inc., 2020 WL 2059910 (Tex. App.'Dallas Apr. 29, 2020, no pet.)

Successfully obtained summary judgment on behalf of a television production company in a negligence lawsuit alleging that the broadcast of an episode of The First 48, a critically acclaimed documentary television series, incited retaliatory violence against the Plaintiff.

Melanson v. Grace, et al., Cause No. D-1-GN-17-003349 (261st Dist. Ct., Travis County, Tex., Mar. 27, 2018)

Haynes Boone represented CBS Television Distribution, Graham Media and Associated Newspapers, all national media outlets, in a defamation suit brought by an Austin-area dentist after Defendants reported on the tragic death of a 14-month dental patient who died as a result of complications from anest [...]