Sports

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We are sports specialists, regularly advising clients on a range of corporate and commercial legal issues at play in their sector, including the following:

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Sports Law:  we advise and assist on sports M&A, IP, sponsorships, media rights, capital raising, corporate, commercial transactions, contracts, governance, policy development, and other legal issues.

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Sports Integrity:  we deliver integrity reviews, policy development, investigations, and reports. 

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Esports: as a pioneer in the Australian esports industry, Mat Jessep acts for teams and organisations, league and tournament operators, and investors on a broad range of corporate, commercial and integrity issues.

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SPORTS LAW & INTEGRITY

 

State Sporting Organisation 

Advised and acted for a NSW-based State Sporting Organisation (SSO) on its acquisition of a majority equity interest in a sports streaming platform and on the reverse sale of its in-house broadcasting rights and media library to the target company.  These transactions also involved the assignment of trade marks and other IP, vendor/founder releases, employment agreements, debt agreements, and new governance documents. Mat led and completed this matter from late 2024 to April 2025.

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​​​Brisbane Bullets 

Advised and acted for the US-based fund purchasing the Brisbane Bullets of the Australian-based National Basketball League (NBL) from the NBL.  Mat drafted the share purchase agreement and advised our US-based clients on the deal structure under Australian law and completed the transaction within weeks prior to the start of the new 2019/20 NBL season. (Mat Jessep led and completed this matter while employed by another firm.)

 

​​​Skipping Australia 

Advised Skipping Australian Inc on its incorporation as an Australian public company, limited by guarantee.  This restructure was required by the Australian Sports Commission (ASC) in order for Skipping Australia to be recognised as a National Sporting Organisation (NSO).  Our advice included assisting members of the state-based incorporated association to understand the process, the drafting and settlement of a new company constitution in a form that the Sports Commission would approve and be compliant with the Corporations Act, and to assist with governance requirements for member approval of the resolution to restructure.  Skipping Australia Limited was granted NSO status.

 

Australasian Gaelic Games 

Advised the members and committee of the Gaelic Football & Hurling Association of Australasia Incorporated on its incorporation as an Australian public company, limited by guarantee in order for Australasian Gaelic Games to be recognised as a NSO by the ASC.  We worked with the committee to establish corporate members of the new entity and worked on all governance requirements in support of the resolution to restructure the new entity. Australasian Gaelic Games Ltd, is now a recognised NSO.

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Water Polo Australia

Advised Water Polo Australia Limited on suggested amendments to the constitution in order to update the document in line with ASC best practice and to establish voting rights for the new Athlete Commission. We drafted the changes and provided full support to members and the Board by way of the explanatory memorandum and meeting notices and agenda.

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Swimming Australia

Advised Swimming Australia Limited on questions as to conflict of interest on the Board.  We investigated the matter and drafted an advice on the issue.

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Karate Victoria

Advised this state-based sporting association on questions raised by members following the implementation of the relevant NSO's new membership policy. We advised the association of how the various rights and obligations under its rules and the requirements of the Associations Incorporation Reform Act 2012 (Vic) would accommodate the NSO's new membership policy.

 

​​​Pickleball Australia

Advised Pickleball Australia on its intellectual property strategy and how to protect and enforce the value in its commercial signatures under the Trade Marks Act 1995 (Cth), tort law, and consumer law. We applied for various trade mark registrations with IP Australia in furtherance of the overall commercial strategy of the organisation.

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​BarTV Sports

We have provided legal support to this niche sports streaming service on various commercial documents and agreements, including a template digital advertising services agreement to operate between it and all advertisers.

 

​​Melbourne United Basketball

Acted for and advised this NBL club on various player release agreements.  These players each sought a release from their standard NBL playing contract to pursue opportunities in the US-based NBA league.  Each agreement required careful assessment of the player's contract, the NBL collective bargaining agreement, and the NBL's release policies.  We liaised with the league to ensure that relevant agreements complied with league regulations at all times, while ensuring that MUB's risk was mitigated and minimised.

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ESE The Agency - Athlete Division

We act for and advise this female athlete management agency on its agreements with the athletes they represent as well as on the athlete's commercial endorsement contracts with third party brands and organisations.

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​​Blacktown City Netball Association 

Advised and acted for this Sydney-based netball association on its successful defence of a claim made by another association.  The claim related to a joint venture agreement with amigos clauses covering extension of etc term and the dispute resolution process.  We advocated for our client up to and including in an arbitration hearing, where the arbitrator determined in favour of our client.

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​Various Judiciaries & Tribunals

​Mat Jessep has provided various sporting organisations with dispute resolution support since 2014, including as the NSWRL Acting Judiciary Counsel, judiciary panel member for Cricket NSW, Tribunal President for Swimming NSW, and as pro bono selection dispute panel member proving advice and assistance to athletes challenging Olympic team selection decisions.

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Sport Integrity Australia

​We were engaged by Sport Integrity Australia, the Australian Federal Government Agency operating as the National Anti-Doping Organisation (NADO) in Australia, to conduct a review into and report on integrity in Australian Esports.  Over a period of  five (5) months Mat engaged with over 65 individuals from over 35 stakeholder organisations in the Australian esports and competitive gaming sector to assess, report on, and offer recommendations regarding various integrity issues in Australian Esports.  The final report on the review totalled over 45,000 words in 175 pages, with 21 recommendations made to government.

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CombatAUS

Acted as an independent external investigator to CombatAUS, the national body responsible for high performance national combat sports teams for boxing, judo, taekwondo, wrestling, and fencing.  The matter involved 5 reports of sexual harassment by a boxing coach while on an international tour.  In just 5 weeks we interviewed the Reporters and witnesses, assessed the evidence under the sport’s integrity framework, put the allegations to the Respondent, considered their response, developed recommendations, and wrote and submitted our report.  The Respondent elected to not challenge the findings of investigation a story the substantiation of ethics allegations as set out in the breach notice, but elected to have the National Sports Tribunal make a determination as to sanctions.

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Paddle Australia, Rowing Australia

From December 2023 to February 2024, and again from July to September 2024, Mat consulted to and acted as the interim National Integrity Manager for Paddle Australia and Rowing Australia.  In this role Mat worked with directors, NSO CEOs, SSO CEOs, high performance staff, and operations to manage a caseload of integrity matters.  Mat liaised with athletes, coaches, and other Relevant Persons and witnesses to resolve various Complaints and Reports across the sports.  Mat then performed a handover and provided a training session to the new NIM. (This work was completed while a consultant to SIGPA.)

 

Paddle Australia

In September 2024 Mat was re-engaged by Paddle Australia to investigate a complaint under Paddle Australia's National Integrity Framework (NIF) regarding a Compliant under the sport's Code of Behaviour (a relevant policy under the NIF) alleging a conflict of interest by a state-sporting body member's committee member. (This work was completed while a consultant to SIGPA.)

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Skate Australia

Mat was engaged to investigate a Report under the sport's Safeguarding Policy.  Mat provided support to the Report (the child's mother) upon referring the matter to SIA. Ultimately the Report was not actioned further as SIA deemed it to have already been investigated by the sport.  Mat provided additional assistance to the party to seek advice on new and compelling information which could render the Report as  (This work was completed while a consultant to SIGPA.)

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Hockey NSW

Mat was engaged to investigate a Complaint by a referee (who was a minor at the time) alleging breaches of the sport's Member Protection Policy at a state championship tournament held in regional NSW. The Respondent denied the allegations, but the allegations were substantiated on the standard of proof and recommendations were set out in a report submitted to the sport's Complaint Manager. (This work was completed while a consultant to SIGPA.)

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Basketball Australia

Mat acted for Basketball Australia in submissions to the International Basketball Federation (FIBA) in response to breach notices resulting from the infamous ‘Basket Brawl’ World Cup Qualifier game between the Australian Boomers and the Philippines team in Manilla in July 2018.  Mat's role involved travelling to Melbourne to interview players involved, consideration of the charges against case law and Swiss laws, advising BA, and drafting submissions to FIBA, as well as offering assistance to the Australian Basketball Players’ Association (ABPA). (This work was completed while Mat was employed by another firm.)

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Victoria University

Mat developed and taught VU's Masters course, 'Sport Integrity & Ethics' in 2020.  In 2021 Mat redeveloped the course to comply with SIA's new NIF and taught the course via the university's "burst mode" of 11 lectures and assessment marking in the month of August 2021.

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ESPORTS

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Team Bliss Esports 

Advised and acted for Team Bliss Esports on its acquisition of legacy Australian esports organisation, Chiefs Esports Club. This transaction's purchase price involved an innovative cash component and profit share agreement for a post-completion period.  The translation also ensured that this beloved esports brand continued to compete on global stages and in tournaments.

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​​Guinevere Capital Esports & Entertainment 

Acted for and advised an international fund on:

• post-M&A capital raises in the UK market; and

• various SAFEs and convertible notes.

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SB Esport Holding ApS

Acted for and advised this Denmark-based gaming technology company on a warrant purchase agreement and side letter.

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​Japanese Video Game Publisher

Advised this major video game publisher based in Japan on regulatory requirements for running lotteries and trade promotions in Australia under various state-based legislation as well as the Interactive Gambling Act 2001 (Cth) as regards a card-based game.

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Media Agency

Advised on event rules and entry conditions against all nine (9) State, Territory, and the Federal jurisdictions in Australia on how the event may or may not comply with the laws, giving recommendations as to how to comply.

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ESL Australia & Guinevere Capital

We acted for and advised this joint venture on the operation of the League of Legends Circuit Oceania (LCO), under license from Riot Games.  The LCO replaced the OPL as the Oceania region's pathway to global LOL events.  The agreements we provided drafting support on included the team participation agreement and player eligibility and release form template documents.
 

​Team Liquid

Advised this international esports organisation (based in California and the Netherlands) on the terms and conditions of the Australian activation of a global event.  We drafted a compliant set of terms and conditions which support date global event while ensuring that local laws were not 

 

​Various Clients

We routinely act for clients on the drafting of player contracts.  ​

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Tainted Minds - Players, Manager, & Coach

We advised the players, manager, and coach of the Tainted Minds LOL team in 2017.  This matter gained international attention which eventually regulated in the league operator making a disciplinary ruling against the team.

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Meet the Team.​​

 

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