The firm has extensive experience in working with athletes and sports related companies, which include media companies, sports broadcasters, professional and amateur athletes, as well as coaches and general managers of college and minor league teams.  Mr. Crownover, one of the firm’s founding partners, at age 27, was one of the youngest agents at the time to become a certified agent by the Major League Baseball Players’ Association.  While he is no longer a sports agent and does not desire to be, he now works with professional athletes and their agents and understands many of the issues that both face on and off the field.

Mr. Crownover was recently successful in representing the former 2-time heavyweight champion of the world, Riddick Bowe, in his lawsuit against the State of Tennessee and the Tennessee Boxing Commission.  He has also been business counsel to Kerry Collins, the former quarterback of the Tennessee Titans, with regard to his career as a songwriter and music publisher.

The firm assists athletes, agents, investment advisors, bankers, and family office managers with contractual team matters, personal business matters and estate planning.

Here are some examples of work that the firm has done with athletes and sports related companies:

• Wealth protection and estate planning for 1st round draft picks

• Quotes and securing career-ending injury insurance

• Working with agents, financial planners, parents, and spouses on estate planning after major signings

• Amateur status protection for pro-prospects

• Interpretation of NCAA rules

• On-campus representation of amateur athletes regarding disputes with eligibility due to disciplinary or grade evaluations

• Contract interpretation and negotiations related to covered surgeries

• Sponsorship deals with Rawlings, Nike, Zett, Reebok, Louisville Slugger, Wilson, and others

• Trading card negotiations

• Negotiations of professional contracts with teams and specific negotiations related to salaries, bonuses, performance bonuses, college scholarship plans, and incentive bonus plans

• Advice during Rule 5 drafts for minor leaguers

• Negotiations of agent contracts

• Latent injury disclosure and contract interpretations

• Assistance with criminal matters (including hiring of counsel for matters and assistance with pleas and negotiations)

• Confidential settlements

• Representing sports broadcasters in their negotiations with sports networks

• Radio sponsorship agreement drafting

• Non-profit set-up and planned charitable giving