Brian D. Anderson

Brian Anderson is a Partner in the firm’s San Francisco office and Co-Leader of its Sports Industry Team.

Areas of Practice

Brian helps clients in navigating complex business transactions, with a focus on the sports industry, technology, intellectual property, commercial contracts, advertising, and data-related issues.

As Co-Leader of Sheppard Mullin’s Sports Industry Team, he counsels investors, owners, leagues, governing bodies, athletes, and global brands on a wide range of matters, including sponsorship, venue naming rights, media rights, merchandising, sports betting, Name-Image-Likeness (NIL) and influencer deals, and collegiate sports. Brian’s experience includes advising on major investments and expansion team projects across leagues such as the NBA, MLB, MLR, MLS, MLS NEXT Pro, NWSL, EFL, and Liga MX.

Experience

Present and past representative matters:

• Represented the majority owners of Swansea City Football Club in connection with their acquisition of a controlling interest in the Club and their infusion of new capital.

• Bay FC – Represented the original investor group and the majority owner, Sixth Street Partners, in the National Women’s Soccer League (NWSL) expansion team bid, securing key sponsorship deals, a stadium license, training facility lease and construction, and handling various operational matters.

• The Town FC – Advised The Town FC on a unique transaction between a Major League Soccer (MLS) club and a commercial agent. This involved rebranding and managing commercial operations for the MLS team’s reserve team, which competes in MLS Next Pro, the second division of MLS.
• Major League Rugby (MLR) Los Angeles– Acted for the investment group in the relocation of the Major League Rugby (MLR) franchise in Atlanta to Los Angeles
• Arsenal Football Club– U.S. marketing and promotional activations
• Mastercard– Sponsorship deal with Riot Games to sponsor the League of Legends European Championship (esports)
• Kantoor Brand/Wrangler– Represented the Wrangler brand in renewing its 76-year long sponsorship deal with the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PRCA), which is the longest sponsorship relationship in North American sports
• Block (Cash App)– Sponsorship deal with Red Bull Formula One Racing Team and driver Max Verstappen
• Under Armour– Advised the company on its first NFT launch into metaverses with digital Genesis Curry Flow sneakers, in honor of Stephan Curry breaking the NBA 3-point record
• Mastercard– Commercial partnership with soccer superstar Lionel Messi
• Block (Cash App)– Sponsorship deal with NASCAR driver Bubba Wallace and the No. 43 Chevrolet Car
• Mastercard– Commercial partnership deal with soccer superstar Neymar
• Block (Cash App)– Sponsorship deal for Floyd Mayweather vs Logan Paul pro boxing fight
• Mastercard– Sponsorship deal with UEFA Champions League
• Chelsea Football Club– Advised the team’s digital ventures business on the launch of its “Perfect Play” mobile app business
• Mastercard– Sponsorship deal with National Women’s Professional Soccer (NWSL) Players Association
• adidas – Sale of TaylorMade Golf to KPS Capital Partners for $425 million
• GitHub– Acquisition of Ordered List Inc.
• Adidas – Represented adidas soccer division on the “GMR Boot” (sensors for soccer/football boots) joint venture with Electronic Ares (EA SPORTS FIFA Mobile) and Google (Jacquard by Google)
• Taylor Made Golf – Dozens of pro golfer sponsorship, endorsement, and commercial partnership transactions
• FIFA– Traditional, digital, and virtual in-game advertising strategy in the United States
• Duolingo – podcast production deals

Honors

Top 40 Under 40, Daily Journal, 2016

Technology Transactions, Legal 500 US, 2014-2023

Cyber Law, Legal 500 US, 2020-2021

Articles

• Editor, Sheppard Mullin’s Sports Page – a weekly summary of the key trends and stories in sports business
• 11th Circuit Reverses Summary Judgment Grant in TCPA Suit Against Medical Debt Collector, Cyberspace Law e-Bulletin, (January 2015)
• Online student privacy bill prompts debate, Daily Journal (March 2014)
• Dealing in Data: Business and Legal Considerations Respecting Data Transactions, Business Law News, the official publication of the Business Law Section of the California State Bar, Issue 4 (2012) 
• The Law of Online Contracts, Media Law Resource Center Bulletin "The Ins and Outs of Online Business" (March 2011)
• FTC Behavioral Advertising Privacy Principles Extend Far Beyond Current Requirements, Media Law Resource Center Bulletin "Digital Media & Comments on Frontiers in Internet Law" (May 2008)
• adbriefs, Fall 2005 - present

Covering Your Ads Blog Posts

• "Thinking of Jumping on the NFT Bandwagon – Are you Prepared?," April 19, 2022

• "New York Passes Wide-Ranging Automatic Renewal (Subscription Model) Law," December 2, 2020

• "How the COVID-19 Lockdown will Disrupt the Upfront TV Ad Market," April 15, 2020
• "Coronavirus: Are Spectator Bans the Worst Case Scenario for Brand Sponsors?," March 6, 2020
• "FTC Workshop Provides Insight on Best Practices to Mitigate Informational Injuries," December 28, 2017 
• "Behavioral Advertising Company That Dropped “Zombie” Cookies Can’t Use Verizon’s Arbitration Clause To Avoid Class Action Lawsuit," October 30, 2017 
• "Deadline Approaching: Action Required by December 31 To Avoid Losing DMCA Safe Harbor Protection," October 25, 2017 

Eye on Privacy Blog Posts

• "Like a Butterfly, Will the CCPA Continue to Evolve?" May 28, 2019 
• "Will CCPA’s Definition of Consumer Be Narrowed?" April 11, 2019 
• "Year In Review: Eye on Privacy 2018," January 28, 2019 
• "2019 is the Year of . . . CCPA?" January 8, 2019 
• "The California Privacy Law Is Coming: What Should Your Company Do Now?" September 5, 2018

Retail Law Blog Posts

• "New York Passes Wide-Ranging Automatic Renewal (Subscription Model) Law," December 10, 2020

Media Mentions

Speaking Engagements

• Information Insecurity, Technology and Law Forum (2018)
• The Mobile Natives: Reaching Young Consumers, Mobile Media Summit San Francisco: Apps and Ads (2015)
• An Invisible Enemy: Cyber Risks and Security, USC Corporate Governance Summit (2014)
• Privacy vs. Relevancy: How to Get Both, Mobile Media Summit San Francisco: Apps and Ads (2014)
• Privacy and Data Security Considerations for Consumer Internet Companies in Both Site Operation and Commercial Deals, SVForum (2012)
• Legal Issues with Advertising/Marketing Using Social Media, ACCA-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference (2012)
• Legal and Business Considerations of Mobile Social Media and Mobile Marketing, Social Media Legal Risks and Strategies Summit (2011)
• Legal Issues with Advertising/Marketing Using Social Media, ACCA-SoCal In-House Counsel Conference (2011)
• The Business and Legal Considerations of Cloud Computing, Law.com Panel (2010)

Events

Memberships

Member, International Association of Privacy Professionals

Digital Media