Seb Butcher

I am a Senior Associate in our Media, Entertainment and Sport Group in London.

My sports practice focusses on advising clients on commercial matters, including in relation to sponsorship, media rights, licensing and merchandising, transfers, event organisation and data exploitation. I have experience advising across a wide range of sports, including football, rugby, tennis, cricket, motorsport, golf, basketball and horse racing.

My other separate area of focus is the cross-over between technology and media. I have written and contributed extensively in the media on a variety of issues across this space, with a main focus on misinformation matters, and have experience advising major social media companies in relation to online regulatory matters.

Prior to joining Bird & Bird, I was a Senior Associate and Co-Lead of the UK Sports practice at a global law firm.

• Acting for a range of Premier League clubs in relation to their respective commercial arrangements.
• Acting for The Football Association on a wide variety of commercial matters, including the sale of its international media rights of The FA Cup.
• Advising the British and Irish Lions on various commercial arrangements, including in relation to its 2025 tour to Australia.
• Advising the English Football League on the sale of its domestic and international media rights.
• Advising ATP Media in relation to its commercial and technology arrangements for the ATP Tour.
• Advising a technology company on its widespread principal sponsorship arrangements for an EFL Championship football club, a Premiership rugby club and a BBL basketball club.
• Advising a top tier non-UK football league in relation to the packaging, exploitation and distribution of performance data and sports betting strategy.
• Advising a multinational sports brand in relation to its sponsorship arrangements and associated COVID-19 implications with a top Premier League club.