Sports Contracts: Drafting and Managing Athlete Agreements

Course Objectives:

1. Understand the key elements involved in drafting sports contracts for athletes.
2. Analyze the roles and responsibilities of both parties (athletes and management) in contract negotiations.
3. Develop the skills to manage and interpret sports contracts effectively.
4. Learn the legal principles underlying athlete agreements, including compliance with labor laws and regulations.
5. Understand the impact of endorsements, sponsorships, and media rights on athlete contracts.

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: Introduction to Sports Contracts

• Overview of sports contracts: definition, importance, and types.
• Key stakeholders involved in sports contracts: athletes, agents, teams, sponsors, and media.
• Basic legal framework of sports contracts: general principles, enforceability, and terms.
• Athlete contract lifecycle: negotiation, execution, performance, and termination.

Key Clauses in Athlete Contracts

• Salary and compensation structures: guaranteed contracts, incentives, bonuses.
• Duration and termination clauses: contract length, opt-outs, and severance provisions.
• Injuries, health, and insurance clauses: provisions for medical care and injury protection.
• Performance clauses: milestones, goals, and consequences of non-performance.

Negotiation Strategies and Agent’s Role

• The role of agents in negotiating athlete contracts.
• Key negotiation tactics: balancing power dynamics, considering athlete’s interests vs. team or sponsors.
• Managing contract renewals, extensions, and public relations during contract negotiations.
• The influence of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) on negotiations.

Managing Contracts and Legal Compliance

• Monitoring contract compliance: obligations of the athlete and the team.
• Legal considerations: intellectual property, endorsement deals, and anti-doping regulations.
• Dispute resolution mechanisms in sports contracts: arbitration, litigation, and mediation.
• Case studies on sports contract disputes and resolutions.

            Sports Contracts: Drafting and Managing Athlete Agreements

Course Objectives:

• Understand the key elements involved in drafting sports contracts for athletes.
• Analyze the roles and responsibilities of both parties (athletes and management) in contract negotiations.
• Develop the skills to manage and interpret sports contracts effectively.
• Learn the legal principles underlying athlete agreements, including compliance with labor laws and regulations.

1. Understand the impact of endorsements, sponsorships, and media rights on athlete contracts.

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Introduction to Sports Contracts

• Overview of sports contracts: definition, importance, and types.
• Key stakeholders involved in sports contracts: athletes, agents, teams, sponsors, and media.
• Basic legal framework of sports contracts: general principles, enforceability, and terms.
• Athlete contract lifecycle: negotiation, execution, performance, and termination.

Key Clauses in Athlete Contracts

• Salary and compensation structures: guaranteed contracts, incentives, bonuses.
• Duration and termination clauses: contract length, opt-outs, and severance provisions.
• Injuries, health, and insurance clauses: provisions for medical care and injury protection.
• Performance clauses: milestones, goals, and consequences of non-performance.

Negotiation Strategies and Agent’s Role

• The role of agents in negotiating athlete contracts.
• Key negotiation tactics: balancing power dynamics, considering athlete’s interests vs. team or sponsors.
• Managing contract renewals, extensions, and public relations during contract negotiations.
• The influence of collective bargaining agreements (CBAs) on negotiations.

Managing Contracts and Legal Compliance

• Monitoring contract compliance: obligations of the athlete and the team.
• Legal considerations: intellectual property, endorsement deals, and anti-doping regulations.
• Dispute resolution mechanisms in sports contracts: arbitration, litigation, and mediation.
• Case studies on sports contract disputes and resolutions.

DATE:

1ST BATCH: 3rd – 6th Mar, 2026    

2ND BATCH: 23rd – 26th June, 2026

3RD BATCH: 20th – 23rd Oct, 2026