Senior Counsel
Location: New York, NY
Contract Term:Full time, permanent. 4 days a week in the office and one remote
ABOUT LIV GOLF
The LIV Golf League is the world’s only global golf league featuring 13 teams, a 14-tournament schedule, and many of the world’s best golfers. Launched in 2022, the League was designed to expand the sport on a global level and create new value within the golfing ecosystem while enhancing the game’s societal impact. A landmark investment by LIV Golf also launched The International Series, a set of 10 enhanced events sanctioned by the Asian Tour, with elevated prize funds in world-class destinations, offering a pathway for leading professional and amateur golfers from around the world into the LIV Golf League. Only four years into operations and with tournaments across North and Latin Americas, Asia, Australia, the Middle East and Europe, LIV Golf remains committed to developing the sport at every level and exposing more people to the positive virtues of the game through its unique blend of intense competition and entertainment.
LIV Golf is owned and operated by LIV Golf Investments whose vision and mission are centered around making holistic and sustainable investments to enhance the global golf ecosystem and unlock the sport’s untapped worldwide potential.
HISTORY
LIV Golf launched in 2022 as an eight-event Invitational Series with tournaments across the U.S., Europe and Asia. 2023 saw the first official season of the LIV Golf League, establishing the sport’s first professional golf teams captained by many of the game’s most decorated superstars competing in 14 events around the world.
The format respects golf’s history and traditions with updates for modern-day sports fans; three days, 54 holes, no cut, shotgun start, and simultaneous team and individual competitions, offering a faster tournament that drives engaging storylines and offers an immersive fan experience. The League’s award-winning events, each wholly owned and operated by LIV Golf and broadcast to over 500 million homes worldwide, showcase world-class competition within a family-friendly environment. Music entertainment, live concerts and a festival-style atmosphere play a signature role with LIV Golf, a two-time winner of the World’s Best Golf Event from the World Golf Awards and a Sports Business Awards Finalist for Sports Event of the Year.
LIV Golf continues to expand its reach by bringing the League to new and returning markets featuring some of the most iconic venues in the world. It has also introduced free agency to professional golf, integrating end-of-season player promotion and relegation, team trades and offseason roster movement that drive year-round fan engagement embraced by many of the world’s most popular sports.
Away from the entertainment on the course, LIV Golf is dedicated to enhancing the wellbeing of the communities it visits through its ground-breaking social impact and sustainability strategy, ‘Potential, Unleashed.’ Named a 2024 Most Impactful award winner by Front Office Sports for utilizing its platform to make a positive impact off the course, the League is committed to giving back and improving the world through golf.
The Senior Counsel – Sponsorship & Sports Media Rights will play a critical role in advising and supporting LIV Golf’s growing business. This individual will focus on two key areas: (i) negotiating and managing high-profile sponsorship agreements and (ii) overseeing sports media rights, original content production, acquisition, and distribution agreements across both linear and digital platforms. This role requires a sophisticated understanding of both the legal and business dynamics within sports entertainment, as well as a proven ability to provide creative and strategic legal solutions.
The ideal candidate will possess the ability to work closely with senior leadership, business development teams, and external stakeholders to structure and negotiate complex agreements that align with LIV Golf’s goals while managing risk.
Key Responsibilities
- Sponsorship Agreements: Lead the negotiation, structuring, and drafting of sponsorship agreements across various assets, including events, content, and partnerships. Ensure alignment with LIV Golf's commercial objectives while safeguarding legal interests.
- Sports Media Rights: Advise on all aspects of sports media rights, including the acquisition, licensing, and distribution of content across linear and digital platforms. Negotiate and draft media contracts that support LIV Golf's content strategy and expansion.
- Original Content Production & Distribution: Provide legal guidance on the production, acquisition, and distribution of original content. Oversee contracts related to content licensing, syndication, and distribution across traditional and emerging platforms.
- Risk Management & Legal Strategy: Identify and manage legal risks in sponsorship and media rights transactions, balancing business goals with legal considerations. Provide actionable legal advice to senior management to ensure business strategies are compliant with legal standards.
- Cross-Functional Collaboration: Work closely with the business development, marketing, finance, and media teams to integrate legal considerations into commercial decisions. Serve as a trusted advisor to internal teams in the development of new sponsorship opportunities and media rights strategies.
- Contract Drafting & Negotiation: Draft and negotiate various agreements related to sponsorships, media rights, media production, marketing, content acquisition, distribution, and event-related partnerships. Ensure all contracts are structured in a way that minimizes risk while supporting LIV Golf's global expansion.
- Industry Trends & Best Practices: Stay ahead of trends and changes in the sports media, entertainment, and sponsorship industries. Advise internal stakeholders on emerging developments and innovative legal solutions that can drive LIV Golf's business forward.
- External Counsel Management: Manage external counsel on select matters, ensuring alignment with LIV Golf's strategic goals and maintaining high standards for quality, efficiency, and cost-effectiveness.
Qualifications
- Experience: Minimum of 8+ years of legal experience, with a strong focus on sponsorship agreements, sports media rights, and content distribution, preferably within a sports organization, media company, or law firm specializing in sports and entertainment law.
- Media Rights Expertise: In-depth knowledge of sports media rights, content production, and distribution across a variety of platforms (broadcast, digital, OTT, etc.), including rights negotiation and management.
- Sponsorship Expertise: Proven track record of structuring, negotiating, and executing complex sponsorship agreements, including strategic partnerships, event sponsorships, and content-driven marketing agreements.
- Strategic Legal Advisor: A skilled negotiator and trusted business advisor, capable of balancing legal risks with business objectives and providing creative solutions to complex problems.
- Contractual Expertise: Strong drafting skills with experience in preparing, reviewing, and negotiating complex contracts, particularly in the areas of sponsorship, media rights, and content acquisition.
- Communication & Interpersonal Skills: Excellent verbal and written communication skills, with the ability to explain complex legal concepts to non-legal stakeholders. Comfortable working in a collaborative, fast-paced environment.
- Education: Juris Doctor (JD) from an accredited law school and admission to the bar in at least one U.S. state.
Preferred Qualifications
- Experience working with international sports media rights, sponsorships, and distribution agreements.
- Familiarity with emerging digital media platforms, OTT services, and evolving technologies within the sports industry.
- Ability to thrive in a global, high-energy environment with a passion for sports and innovation.
LIV Golf Investments is an equal opportunity employer that is committed to diversity and inclusion in the workplace and the equal treatment of all current and prospective employees. We prohibit discrimination and harassment of any kind based on age, gender, disability, religion or belief, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, race, ethnicity, or any other status protected by the laws or regulations where we operate. This policy applies to all employment practices within our organization, including hiring, recruiting, promotion, termination, leave of absence, compensation, benefits, training, and apprenticeships. LIV Golf Investments makes hiring decisions based solely on qualifications, merit, and business needs at the time.
