NEW ORLEANS – Presented by the Tulane University School of Law and Tulane University Center for Sport, the 2025 Tulane Entertainment & Sports Law Conference, now in its 8th year, will take place on March 14th and 15th. The conference is free and open to the public and will be held in the John Giffen Weinmann Hall at the Tulane Law School located on Tulane’s uptown campus.
This annual event brings together many of the most influential lawyers and executives in the entertainment and sports industries to discuss the dynamic changes reshaping sports, media, and entertainment. The Conference is designed not only for seasoned practitioners, but also for law and undergraduate students, industry professionals, and anyone looking to learn about the most pressing issues in entertainment and sports.
The conference, which has become a go-to event for lawyers, students, and other professionals, is expected to attract more than 200 attendees discussing the dynamic changes reshaping sports, media, and entertainment.
Over the years, the conference has hosted executives and lawyers from within the NFL, NBA, and MLB, creative talent including Jonathan Banks (star of Breaking Bad and Better Call Saul) and Anthony Zuiker (creator of the CSI franchise), and top lawyers from major national sports practices like Winston & Strawn and Holland & Knight.
It has also had executives from major studios like Amazon, ESPN, HBO, Netflix, Sony, and SiriusXM speak at the event along with artists such as Alicia Keys, Jason Sudeikis, Jordan Peele, Matthew McConaughey, Scarlett Johansson, Stevie Wonder, Prince, and Bob Dylan.
The Conference is led annually by the organizing committee composed of Kevin Yorn (L ’90) – founding partner of the Yorn Levine Entertainment Law Firm, Jeff Frost (L ’89) – President of Bristol Circle Entertainment, Tim Francis (L ’84) – counsel, Sher Garner law firm, along with Professor Gabe Feldman, Director of the Tulane Sports Law Program, Sher Garner Professor of Sports Law, and Co-Founder of the Tulane Center for Sport.
The conference will cover a range of legal and business topics in sports and entertainment, featuring industry leaders discussing high-profile cases, negotiations, and emerging trends. Panelists will discuss the legal and business challenges faced by athletes and entertainers, including contract negotiations, brand deals, and career strategies.
The House v. NCAA lawsuit will be covered including its potential to reshape college sports.
General counsels from the Sacramento Kings, LA Clippers, New Orleans Saints & Pelicans, and Atlanta Hawks will discuss legal and business issues in team operations, including stadium development, data privacy, sponsorships, and merchandising.
Legal challenges for A-list celebrities, including contract negotiations, defamation, name/image likeness, and the evolving Hollywood landscape will also be covered. Legal experts will discuss litigation and policy issues in college sports, including “name, image, and likeness” (NIL) issues, athlete employment status, and NCAA enforcement actions.
Studio executives and talent representatives from Warner Bros., Hulu, Amazon Studios, and others will engage in a mock negotiation, providing insight into contractual terms and industry leverage. And legal and business leaders from Sony Pictures, Giant Music, and the ELLA Project will discuss streaming, licensing, live events, and intellectual property challenges in the music industry.
There will be various breakout sessions covering topics like contracts, sponsorships, mergers, entertainment IP, branding, AI compliance, and regulatory changes shaping the industry. Other breakout sessions will see representatives from NFL, NBA, and MLB teams discuss contract negotiations, scouting, salary cap management, and team operations while others will cover Hollywood screenwriting, licensing, and the transition from law to creative work.
General Counsels of the NFL and FIFA World Cup ’26 will discuss the logistical and regulatory challenges of hosting major global sporting events while senior executives from Sony Pictures and Warner Bros. will discuss how entertainment projects are developed, negotiated, and brought to the screen.
Panelists from Live Nation, Range Sports, and other major organizations will discuss athlete and artist representation, media rights, sponsorships, and business strategies. In addition, investors in the NBA, Premier League, and e-Sports will discuss the financial, regulatory, and business complexities of sports investments.
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