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    Sports & entertainment

    Sports, entertainment & NIL counsel.

    For athletes, creators, esports teams, and the companies that work with them. We review and negotiate agreements, protect brands, and handle the business work around a career or company.

    Complimentary intake with Jamee or a paid attorney strategy session with Drew.

    Andrew (Drew) Jacobs, Esq., founder of Jacobs Counsel LLC
    Drew Jacobs

    Founder & Managing Attorney

    Drew advises businesses, athletes and creators. He played Division I basketball at Boston College and directs Seton Hall Law’s Annual Gaming Law Bootcamp. Admitted in New York, New Jersey and Ohio.

    Caitlin Hannibal, Of Counsel at Jacobs Counsel
    Caitlin Hannibal

    Of Counsel

    Caitlin practiced at Orrick and Cadwalader and worked in house at iN DEMAND on sports and entertainment programming. A former professional boxer, she is admitted in New York and is a WNBPA Certified Player Agent.

    The work

    Tell us what’s on the table

    Start with the agreement, offer or business decision in front of you. We define the legal work around that need.

    A school or NIL offer

    We review and negotiate compensation, payment timing, deliverables, usage rights, exclusivity, term and termination, and transfer-related contract provisions. The work is scoped to the offer and the decisions you need to make.

    An endorsement or creator deal

    We handle sponsorships, content licenses and talent agreements, focusing on deliverables, approvals, use of identity and content, exclusivity, payment mechanics and exit terms that affect the current deal and future work.

    An agent or management agreement

    We review and negotiate representation terms, compensation, exclusivity, duration and termination. The goal is to make the parties’ responsibilities, authority and economics clear before the relationship moves forward.

    A sports or media business

    We advise on formation, ownership arrangements, governance and commercial contracts for athlete ventures, sports and media companies, and founders building businesses around content, events, technology or a professional career.

    Protecting a name or brand

    We handle trademark work, brand licensing and agreements governing how a name, likeness or piece of content may be used. That includes aligning ownership and permissions with the broader commercial plan.

    An esports team or gaming product

    We work on player, sponsorship and tournament agreements and other esports business matters. Regulatory questions for gaming products are scoped through our gaming law practice, including the flagship 50-State Gaming Legal Opinion.

    Contract review

    What we look at before you sign

    The details change from deal to deal. These are the recurring questions that connect the document to the business decision.

    Money
    What is paid, when it is paid, and the conditions that must be met before payment is due.
    Rights
    Where and how your name, likeness or content can be used, for how long, and whether those rights can be transferred.
    Restrictions
    Exclusivity, approval rights and other terms that could affect future work or limit what you can do elsewhere.
    Changes and exit
    Renewal, termination, transfer-related provisions, cure periods and obligations that continue after the deal ends.
    Business context
    Who signs, how the documents fit together, and which questions need coordination with agents, accountants or other advisors.

    How we scope the engagement

    We start with the agreement or business issue, your role, deadlines and the jurisdictions involved. The scope, responsible attorney, staffing and fees are set out in writing.

    Defined projects may use a fixed fee when the assumptions and deliverables are clear. Ongoing counsel may be hourly, retainer-based or hybrid.

    Sports, entertainment & NIL questions

    What does a sports and entertainment attorney handle?
    The work can include contract review and negotiation, NIL and endorsement agreements, representation agreements, brand and intellectual property matters, and business contracts for athletes, creators and sports or media companies. The actual scope depends on the matter and the written engagement.

    Can you review a school revenue-share or NIL offer?
    Yes. An offer-specific review can address payment terms, obligations, licensing rights, exclusivity, duration, termination and related documents. Depending on the engagement, the work may include review, advice or a bounded negotiation with the other party.

    What should I look for in an endorsement agreement?
    Key terms include compensation, deliverables and approvals, use of identity and content, exclusivity, term and renewal, morals provisions, termination rights and obligations that survive the agreement. The significance of each term depends on the deal and the surrounding business context.

    What is the difference between a sports agent and an attorney?
    Agents may source opportunities and provide representation services under their agreements. Attorneys advise on legal rights and review or negotiate legal terms. Responsibilities, compensation and any potential conflicts should be clear before work begins, and a legal engagement does not automatically include agent services.

    Do you work with esports teams and gaming companies?
    Yes. We handle player, sponsor and tournament agreements and other esports business matters. Regulatory work for gaming products is scoped separately through our gaming practice and may include a 50-State Gaming Legal Opinion when appropriate.

    How are fees determined?
    Fees depend on the scope, complexity and form of engagement. A defined project may use a fixed fee when the assumptions and deliverables are clear. Ongoing counsel may be hourly, retainer-based or hybrid. The applicable terms are agreed in writing.

    Where can Jacobs Counsel represent clients?
    Drew is admitted in New York, New Jersey and Ohio, and Caitlin is admitted in New York. Acceptance depends on the matter, applicable rules, conflicts, scope and jurisdiction. Local counsel or separate admission may be needed in some matters.

    Have a deal in front of you?

    Choose a complimentary fit-and-intake call with Jamee or a paid attorney strategy session with Drew.

    Prospective client disclaimer: contacting Jacobs Counsel or booking a call does not create an attorney-client relationship. Please do not send confidential information until representation is confirmed in writing.