In a recent development, two Los Angeles area attorneys and prior co-owners of the Women’s National Basketball League franchise, the LA Sparks, have moved to court against the current owners of the team. The plaintiffs allege that the existing management has disregarded their lifelong guarantees for tickets and parking passes to games which were agreed upon during their tenure of ownership.
More comprehensive information on the case is outlined with greater detail in a Law360 article.
Such disputes surrounding professional sports franchises are not uncommon and usually result from ambiguity or lack of clarity in ownership agreements. Issues such as ticketing rights, logo usage, and other ancillary benefits often come under scrutiny during transitions in team ownership.
In this specific instance, the former co-owners, both seasoned attorneys, significantly strengthen the argument for ensuring explicit clarity and meticulous documentation in any legal agreements in sports franchise ownership.