Steven B. Smith
Steven B. Smith
Steven B. Smith
Biography
Steven Smith is the managing partner of the Colorado Springs office. His practice focuses on sports law, including naming rights, sponsorships, licensing agreements, stadium operations, television and media contracts, and representing leagues and National Governing Bodies. Mr. Smith has been recognized as a "Leader in His Field" for Sports Law by Chambers USA 2011.
Civic Involvement & Honors
- Chambers & Partners USA, National recognition in Sports Law, 2011 - 2019
- Who's Who Legal, Sports & Entertainment, 2016 - 2020
- Sports Business Journal, Leading Sports Attorneys (2017)
- Colorado Springs Sports Corporation, Board of Directors
- Vision Trust International, Board of Directors
- Rotary Foundation, Fellow to Geneva, Switzerland, 1987–1988
- Board of Elders, The Gathering at Jackson Creek
- Colorado Springs Business Journal Top 40 Business Leaders Under Age 40 (2000)
Professional Affiliations
- Co-Chair, BCLP's Sports and Entertainment Practice Group (2013 - Present)
- Colorado (El Paso County) Bar Association
- Sports Lawyers Association
Naming Rights and Sponsorship
Mr. Smith has advised, and negotiated on behalf of, both corporate sponsors and sports properties on all aspects of naming rights agreements. The total value of those agreements is approximately $2.7 billion. Representative deals include SoFi Stadium, Las Vegas Stadium, Progressive Field (Cleveland), Oracle Arena (Oakland), Gesa Field (Washington State University), Ameriquest Field (Arlington, TX), Qwest Field (Seattle), the 02 (London), Honda Center (Anaheim), Bank of America Stadium (Carolina), Qwest Arena (Boise) and TD Ameritrade Park (Omaha).
Mr. Smith has completed sponsorship and licensing agreements valued in excess of $4 billion. He has advised VISA, USG, and Progressive Insurance on general sponsorship matters. He also represented Ameriquest in its sponsorship of the Super Bowl Halftime Show, several major league baseball teams and the California Speedway. Mr. Smith has also been heavily involved in sponsorships with National Governing Bodies, including USA Swimming's sponsorships with AT&T, BMW and Marriott, as well as U.S. Speedskating's deals with Verizon and The Colbert Nation.
Television and Media Contracts
Mr. Smith has represented a number of sports properties in all aspects of television and media agreements. He has completed deals with most major sports networks, including ABC, NBC, CBS, Fox Sports, ESPN, ESPN2, and OLN/Versus, both domestically and internationally. In 2019, he completed negotiations on behalf of the Mountain West Conference for television deals with CBS and Fox, which have been reported to exceed $270 million. He has also advised clients on a number of agreements involving transmission of events over the Internet and other digital media.
Stadium Operations
A central part of Mr. Smith's practice includes advising clients on contracts involving stadium operations, such as ticketing, concessions, pouring rights, advertising, and television.
Leagues and National Governing Bodies
Mr. Smith currently represents a number of leagues, such as the Pacific Coast League of Professional Baseball Clubs and the Florida State League of Professional Baseball Clubs, as well as International Federations and National Governing Bodies in the Olympic movement. He regularly advises clients on athlete eligibility matters, agreements for use of athlete images, team selection, sponsorships and licensing agreements, event agreements, television and other media deals, protection of intellectual property, and general issues of corporate law.
Admissions
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Colorado, 1991
Education
University of Michigan, J.D., 1991
Harvard University, A.B., magna cum laude, 1987
Related Practice Areas
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Strategic Alternatives & Corporate Reorganization
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Corporate
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M&A & Corporate Finance
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AdTech
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PropTech
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Sports & Entertainment Contract, Endorsement & Celebrity Representation Practice
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Anti-Doping Practice
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Sports & Event Venue Real Estate Infrastructure and Operation
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Naming Rights & Sponsorship Practice
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Sports & Entertainment M&A Practice
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Sports & Entertainment Litigation Practice
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Collegiate Sports Practice
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Sports & Entertainment Specialty Counseling Practice
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Entertainment Industry Practice
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Sports & Event Financing
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Olympic & National Governing Body Practice
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Professional Sports Team Practice
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Regulation, Compliance & Advisory
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Tax & Private Client
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Litigation & Dispute Resolution
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Trademarks: Counseling, Prosecution & Practical Business Services
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Copyrights
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Media & Communications
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Intellectual Property and Technology
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Non Profit Organizations
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Sports & Entertainment
Experience
- Represented SoFi in its naming rights agreement for the new Los Angeles Stadium which will host the Los Angeles Rams and Los Angeles Chargers home games, a deal that has been reported to be the largest naming rights agreement in history (September, 2019).
- Advised the Mountain West Conference in its television negotiations with CBS and Fox for media rights to football and men's basketball games, which has been reported to exceed $270 million over the term of the Agreement (December, 2019)
- Represented the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association in its television negotiations with Rural Media Group, the first time in the PRCA's history that it received a rights fee to broadcast its events (October, 2019)
- Assisted Nutrien in its naming rights agreement for a new building on the campus of Colorado State University (March 2019)
- Represented Symetra Insurance Company in its cornerstone sponsorship of the new Seattle NHL Club (2018-19)
- Drafted policies and procedures for the new U.S. Center for Safe Sport, an agency focused on receiving reports, investigating and adjudicating complaints of sexual misconduct and other violations involving America's Olympic and other athletes (2017-18)
- Advised the Las Vegas 51s in their naming rights agreement with the City of Las Vegas, the largest naming rights agreement in the history of minor league Baseball (August, 2018)
- Represented El Paso Chihuahuas in naming rights agreement for new stadium (February 2014)
- Negotiated television agreements between the Mountain West Conference and ESPN and CBS (2013-14)
- Negotiated Dolby Theater Naming Rights Agreement for the home of the Academy Awards (May 2012)
- Successfully defended the World Tenpin Bowling Association in a contract dispute before the Court of Arbitration for Sport (March 2011)
- Pacific Coast League Workout of Memphis Redbirds Franchise (November 2010)
- Mountain West Conference Entry Agreement with Boise State University (August 2010)
- USA Swimming Sponsorship Agreement with Marriott (June 2010 plus renewals)
- USA Swimming Sponsorship Agreement with AT&T (December 2009 plus renewal)
- S. Speedskating Sponsorship Agreement with The Colbert Nation (November 2009)
- USA Basketball Marketing Rights Agreement with NBA (May 2009, 2013, 2017 and 2019)
- TD Ameritrade Naming Rights Agreement for College World Series Park in Omaha (June 2009)
- World University Games Television Agreement with Fox College Sports (August 2008)
- Progressive Casualty Insurance Company Title Sponsorship of Automotive X Prize (March 2008)
- Progressive Casualty Insurance Company Naming Rights Agreement with Cleveland Indians (January 2008)
- LPGA-Tournament Owners Association Revenue Sharing Agreement (December 2007)
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association-Wrangler Title Sponsorship of National Finals Rodeo (May 2007)
- Oracle-Golden State Warriors Naming Rights Agreement (October 2006)
- Anaheim Mighty Ducks Naming Rights Agreement with Honda Motor Company (July 2006)
- Ameriquest - NFL Super Bowl Halftime Sponsorship (2004)
- Seattle Seahawks - Naming Rights Agreement with Qwest Communications (June 2004)
- Ameriquest - Naming Rights Agreement with Texas Rangers (May 2004)
- Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association - Television Agreements with CBS, ESPN and OLN (2002-03)
- Savvis Center (St. Louis, MO) Arena Naming Rights Agreement (August 1999)
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