Firm an Unlikely Nerve Center for Media Deals

® www.sportsbusinessjournal.com May 3, 2010 Firm an unlikely nerve center for media deals by michael smith staff writer last week left the firm to join Roush Fenway Racing, a client of the firm, as a senior vice The Charlotte-based legal team of Robinson, president. “I think there’s also a benefit to being Headquarters: Charlotte Bradshaw & Hinson never set out to be a power in Charlotte because the rates are lower than No. of attorneys: 130 broker in sports business. the firms in New York. For the same or better For years, the firm did occasional business Sports-related clients: NCAA, South- quality, you get a more efficient price.” with NASCAR clients, which seemed logical eastern Conference, Roush Fenway Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson, founded in because of the sport’s base in Charlotte. Then Racing, Richard Petty Motorsports, US 1960, first stepped into sports business in the another local sports client, UNC Charlotte, in F1, Dale Earnhardt Jr., Danica Patrick, early 1990s when a client, Ken Barbee, bought the mid-1990s led to a relationship with Confer- Jeff Gordon, Ray Evernham, Dale Jar- Hendrick Sportswear, a NASCAR licensee, from ence USA, and more recently the Southeastern rett, Kevin Harvick, Bank of America. team owner Rick Hendrick. Once the transaction Conference. closed, Barbee needed a new round of licensing Those recommendations led the NCAA to the agreements with many of the top drivers of firm last year, putting it at the center — liter- the day: Terry Labonte, Bill Elliott, Kyle Petty ally and figuratively — of the largest individual and others. sports media rights contract in U.S. television Over the next five years, Caldwell worked history. closely with Barbee to secure licensing agree- “It’s not something we ever really put on our ments and, along the way, made new relation- radar,” said Stoke Caldwell, an attorney who ships with several drivers and teams, many of first led the firm into sports law through his whom later became clients. NASCAR contacts in the early 1990s. “It’s not like About the same time, in the mid-1990s, Robert Robinson Newmark we sat in a room and said, ‘We’ve got to develop Fuller made the firm’s entree into collegiate this sports and entertainment practice.’ But as sports. Through a local tie, the firm represented NASCAR grew and Charlotte grew, the money UNC Charlotte and later South Florida during followed and there became more opportunities.” the formation of Conference USA, which merged The final days of the NCAA’s 14-year, $11 bil- teams from the old Metro and Great Midwest lion negotiation with CBS and Turner Sports conferences. Fuller ended up being retained by played out in Robinson, Bradshaw & Hinson’s C-USA’s commissioner at the time, Mike Slive, 18th-floor office in downtown Charlotte last who moved to the SEC in 2002 and took Robinson, month. That’s also where the SEC in 2008 final- Fuller Caldwell Bradshaw & Hinson with him. ized its 15-year deals for a combined $3 billion “We were quick to realize that he’s an out- with CBS and ESPN. standing attorney and could be of considerable Jack Roush and John Henry leaned on the “The firm was exceptionally valuable because help to us,” said Slive, who has a background firm’s guidance to become 50-50 partners in they made sure every action by the NCAA was as an attorney. “Any time there’s a sense that Roush Fenway Racing, and Ray Evernham used consistent with the CBS contract,” said Kevin there could be legal ramifications with a deci- the firm when he sold majority interest in his O’Malley, a media consultant with the NCAA. sion, we talk and make sure everything is taken race team to George Gillett. “They just provided a high level of confidence care of beforehand.” The firm also oversees sponsorship agree- with everything we were doing. All the way Through the firm’s conference associations, ments, including Bank of America’s recent deal through, we wanted to make sure we were fol- Fuller and Graham Robinson have negotiated with the New York Yankees. lowing proper protocol.” bowl contracts, media deals and conference Put it all together and Robinson, Bradshaw & Only in the last few years, though, has the firm championship venues, “all things that relate Hinson has evolved into a significant player in of 130 attorneys, one of the larger law offices in to the business of the conference,” Slive said. sports law, especially in NASCAR and intercol- Charlotte, acknowledged its expertise in sports But it’s the media contracts that have brought legiate athletics circles. law by creating a sports and entertainment divi- the most attention to the firm because of their It all happened through the most effective sion. It is seeking to grow the sports practice sheer value. Those deals are the largest source marketing tool of all — word of mouth. with new clients, Caldwell said. of revenue for the conferences. “We heard about them from the SEC,” said Thirteen attorneys work in sports and en- “It helped that we’d done a lot of this before,” Greg Shaheen, the NCAA’s senior vice president tertainment, although many more spend time Fuller said. “We knew the provisions that were of basketball and business strategies. “Then as with sports clients, who include Dale Earnhardt most important and it helped move things along we checked around, we heard more good things Jr., Danica Patrick and Jeff Gordon, one of the as we worked through a long weekend to get a from our NASCAR contacts. When we met with firm’s first sports clients. deal done.” them and saw their expertise in transactions The firm does not act as a typical sports agent, and some of their experience with media, we in terms of seeking deals, but it reviews con- thought it was a natural fit.” tracts and protects the rights of its clients. Its The result of the NCAA’s negotiations with revenue is typically based on billable hours CBS/Turner was a 60-page document out- rather than a percentage of contracts. lining the 14-year deal, but Robinson, Brad- “Some of it has to do with our level of ex- shaw & Hinson was instrumental in earlier pertise and experience and some of it, quite steps too, as the NCAA exercised its escape frankly, has to do with being in the right place from the previous CBS contract. at the right time,” said Steve Newmark, who