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. Beyond the sports sector, Brian represents other clients in a broad range of corporate matters and transactions.

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, and 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.” He represented San Diego Wave FC in its stadium agreement and sale to a family office, and Cynisca Cycling, a women’s professional cycling team, in its commercial and regulatory matters.

Outside of his sports practice, Brian serves as outside general counsel for a number of closely held and family-owned businesses, advising and assisting them with a range of business transactions, including commercial agreements, business combinations and investments, joint ventures and other general corporate matters. He works with companies across a variety of industries, including media, retail, consumer goods, financial services and entertainment companies.

Within sports, Brian represents professional athletes in connection with endorsement deals, commercial transactions and investments, and general corporate advice, including Heisman Trophy winner Caleb Williams, NBA basketball players John Wall, Tristan Thompson and JR Smith, and professional golfers Rickie Fowler, Viktor Hovland, Brandon Wu and Rose Zhang.

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, collectives, 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, 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.