Alexander Steinberg

Alex rejoined AKD Partners as Of Counsel in October 2019. Prior to that, Alex was an attorney at the National Football League where he was responsible for a broad range of media-related transactional and strategic matters across broadcast and cable television, digital, social media and connected devices and Alex’s role at the NFL included advising on the media strategy team on the NFL's content licensing business and partnerships social media platforms, the distribution of NFL Network and NFL RedZone programming services and the NFL's international media business. Alex also advised the NFL business team on commercial aspects of the NFL's Next Gen Stats initiatives as well as other League data licensing.

Prior to the NFL, Alex was an Associate at AKD Partners LLP (US) in the Media, Sports and Entertainment sector.

Alex's recent experience at AKD Partners LLP (US) includes of the following: 

• The E.W. Scripps Company in connection with its Scripps Sports business, including media rights deals with the WNBA, NWSL, the NHL's Las Vegas Golden Knights and Florida Panthers.
• The Atlantic Coast Conference (ACC) on various media related matters
• A major streaming service in connection with its acquisition of NFL live game rights
• A major digital video distributor in connection with its acquisition of MLB live game rights.
• Qatar Sports Investments in connection with its strategic partnership and investment transaction with Arctos Sports Partners in which Arctos acquired a minority stake in Paris Saint-Germain (PSG)
• Portland Thorns FC in its sale to RAJ Sports, led by the Bhathal family
• Qatar Investment Authority (QSI) in connection with its minority investment in Monumental Sports & Entertainment.
• San Diego FC, in connection with the acquisition of expansion rights from MLS for an MLS-record setting expansion fee as well as its entrance into a long-term lease with San Diego State University
• NBA's Phoenix Suns and WNBA’s Phoenix Mercury in connection with their sale to Mat Ishbia for an NBA record setting $4 billion
• Sorare SAS in connection with its agreements with the National Basketball League, NBA Players Association, Major League Baseball and Major League Baseball Players Association
• A minority investor in connection with its investment in the NBA’s Golden State Warriors
• A minority investor in connection with its investment in the NHL’s Tampa Bay Lighting
• The founding investors of Bay FC in connection with their transaction with Sixth Street to related to the acquisition of expansion rights for an NWSL franchise in San Francisco.
• Sorare SAS in connection with its agreements with the NBA, NBA Players Association, MLB and Major League Baseball Players Association
• The Tennessee Titans in connection with various commercial matters, including naming rights agreements, cornerstone sponsorship agreements and concession agreements
• Paycor in connection with its stadium naming rights agreement with the Cincinati Bengals for the naming rights to Paycor Stadium
• LAFC in connection in connection with its stadium naming rights agreement with BMO
• Houston Dynamo and Houston Dash in connection with its stadium naming rights agreement with Shell Energy
• For Soccer Ventures in various corporate and commercial matters
• AS Roma SPV, LLC, the majority shareholder of Italian soccer club AS Roma in its sale of the controlling interest to the Friedkin Group
• Northland Investment Corporation and Larry Gottesdiener in the acquisition of the WNBA’s Atlanta Dream
• A global social media platform in the launch of its first ever NFT collection
• Ares Management Corporation in a US$150 million preferred equity investment in Major League Soccer’s Inter Miami CF and its subsequent follow-on investment. 
• Ted Segal in the acquisition of a controlling interest in MLS’ Houston Dynamo FC and the NWSL’s Houston Dash
• Los Angeles Chargers in various corporate and commercial matters
• Richard Graham and Striker Partners in connection with various matters related to For Soccer and its affiliated companies
• MLS’ Houston Dynamo and NWSL’s Houston Dash in its partnership with Fubo Gaming
• MLS’ Austin FC in its partnership with PointsBet
• Subaru of America on its naming rights agreement with Major League Soccer’s Philadelphia Union for Subaru Park
• A major sports and entertainment company in various licensing and sponsorship matters
• A major sports and entertainment company in the launch of a new Latin America focused direct-to-consumer video platform
• A major Korean media company in various commercial agreements and content license agreements

Representative Matters 2012—2017

• LAFC in connection with private financing of its new, 22,000-seat, soccer-specific stadium in South Los Angeles
• Three existing minority investors in connection with their acquisition of controlling interest in LAFC
• A leading New York-based global entertainment company's contribution of a video streaming service to a new joint venture with a Hollywood-based leading global entertainment studio
• The sale of a US-based sports genre pay TV and OTT channel to a non-US media conglomerate, including advising on cross border structuring and media rights
• Owners of Atlanta Hawks in sale of NBA team and operating rights to Philips Arena
• ESPN, Inc. in connection with distribution matters including the launch of the SEC Network
• Arthur M. Blank (Atlanta Falcons owner) in the acquisition of Major League Soccer's 22nd expansion team
• AS Roma (Serie A) and Raptor Sports Group in connection with its equity capital raise and stadium development project
• Abu Dhabi United Group in the acquisition, together with the New York Yankees, of MLS’ 20th expansion club, NYCFC
• Investors in the purchase of a minority interest in the Oakland Raiders football team
• The buyers of minority ownership interests in LAFC
• The San Francisco 49ers in the refinancing of their initial stadium construction loan for Levi's Stadium
• Al Jazeera Media Network in its strategic acquisition of Current TV
• Atlanta Spirit Group in connection with the sale of a minority interest in the Atlanta Hawks
• The buyers of minority ownership interests in Los Angeles Football Club, Major League Soccer's expansion team, to play in Los Angeles in 2017

In addition, during law school, Alex worked in-house as the first project law associate in the legal department at ESPN Inc., where he assisted lawyers in the drafting, negotiating and review of contracts, and helped manage various litigation matters.

Additionally, prior to receiving his law degree, Alex worked for James Grant Sports (now YMU Group), a leading talent management agency, where he served as the marketing coordinator and managed all public relations and marketing opportunities for James Grant Sport's US soccer clients.