Brian R. Socolow

Brian Socolow, Co-Chair of Loeb’s Sports practice, represents professional and college athletes, teams, event owners, media companies, equipment manufacturers and others in the sports industry in complex commercial transactions and business disputes.

Brian has handled many sports transactions, including media broadcast and distribution agreements, sponsorship and naming rights agreements, trademark licenses, venue agreements and the purchase and sale of sports properties. Most recently, Brian represented Simmons Bank in connection with the naming rights of Liberty Bowl Memorial Stadium, now known as Simmons Bank Liberty Stadium, in Memphis, Tennessee. He also represented the bank in its agreements to sponsor women’s college athletics programs at 11 universities. He represented San Diego Wave FC, an NWSL expansion team, in its stadium agreement and smart home services provider Vivint in its naming rights deal for the arena home to the Utah Jazz. He represented the Los Angeles Angels in their historic stadium and development transaction with the City of Anaheim and Cynisca Cycling, a women’s professional cycling team, in its agreements with its team of riders. He also represented Frost Bank in connection with an agreement with the NBA basketball team, the San Antonio Spurs, for a naming rights partnership for the Spurs’ home arena, now officially known as the “Frost Bank Center.”

Over the past several years, Brian has represented several professional athletes in connection with endorsement deals, commercial transactions and investments, and general corporate advice, including NBA basketball players John Wall, Tristan Thompson and JR Smith, and professional golfers Rickie Fowler and Brandon Wu.

Since the July 2021 lifting of the NCAA’s ban preventing college athletes from monetizing their names, images and likeness (NIL), Brian has also represented high-profile college athletes, brands and agencies in NIL transactions and endorsement deals.

In addition, Brian has provided leagues, event owners and media agencies with strategic counsel in podcast, television and radio broadcast agreements, internet distribution and marketing rights arrangements, live event webcasting, exclusive ad partnerships and sponsorships.

I combined my passion for sports with my legal practice, and I look forward to each day and each new challenge helping clients compete in this dynamic industry.