Baird D Fogel

Practice Areas

Baird Fogel is a preeminent figure in Sports Law, with a distinguished 25-year career that has seen him navigate the complexities of both in-house and law firm roles. His experience is highly sought after in the sports industry, where he has carved out a niche in start-up leagues, sports betting and fantasy sports, as well as in the broader areas of sponsorship, investment, sports venues, community investment and tailored energy deals for professional teams.

Distinguished in the Sports Industry: Baird has a deep understanding of the sports industry through his work with domestic and international clients. He is adept at advising on mergers and acquisitions, corporate governance, compliance, and project finance, development, and construction. His counsel is invaluable to corporations, investors, professional leagues, franchises, and athletes across various sports, including F1, NASCAR, Track and Field, the PGA, the NFL, MLB and the NBA.

Innovative Legal Solutions: As the leader of Eversheds Sutherland’s US Sports Law practice, Baird is at the forefront of providing innovative legal solutions related to the establishment, operation, and sale of professional franchises and leagues. He is known for his guidance on sponsorship, commercial partnerships, Name, Image, and Likeness (NIL), Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs), sports betting, fractional ownership interests, and investment.

Pioneering Energy and Regulatory Matters: Baird’s unique experience extends to regulatory and energy matters, particularly in the construction of sports arenas, stadiums, and practice facilities. He is a pioneer in stadium/arena energy efficiency and renewable energy projects, contributing to the creation of more sustainable and cost saving sports infrastructures.

Notable Representations:

 Served as lead counsel for the Las Vegas Raiders in negotiating a groundbreaking energy buy agreement with Nevada Energy, making Allegiant Stadium the first 100% renewably powered professional sports stadium in the US.

 Played instrumental role in Super Bowl LVIII becoming the first 100% renewably powered Super Bowl in NFL history.

 Represented Yahoo Fantasy Sports in establishing its partnership with MGM to add sports betting capability to the largest fantasy sports platform in the world.

 Collaborated with the Las Vegas Raiders to implement CLEAR’s Health Pass technology, resulting in the first “mask free” attended NFL game during the COVID-19 pandemic and establishing a vaccination verification program for professional sports.

 Representing Michael Johnson and Grand Slam Track on all matters related to the launch of the new professional track league.

 Represented Vivid Seats in its acquisition of Betcha Sports.

 Representing Haas Automation (parent company to Haas F1) in the relocation of its manufacturing business to Nevada.