Profile
Andrew Moroney is exclusively focused on the sports and entertainment sector and has wide-ranging experience counseling clients spanning football, golf, tennis, motorsports, cycling, esports, and horseracing on commercial, regulatory and disputes matters across the Middle East. The core focus of his practice covers sponsorship, broadcasting, merchandising, ticketing, player contracts, intermediary issues, athlete endorsement, disciplinary issues, governance, regulatory matters, event management, image rights and sporting disputes. Andrew’s deep experience in the esports industry extends to acting for publishers, tournament organizers, and esports athletes and teams.
Formerly in-house at the English Football Association and having undertaken long-term secondments to a Formula 1 track and the sports division of the world’s largest talent agency, Andrew has substantial experience handling governance, risk management, regulatory, corruption, and anti-doping matters for a variety of sports and entertainment clients in both the UK and the Middle East. He also currently serves as an arbitrator on the International Paralympic Committee’s Anti-Doping Panel and Board of Appeal of Classification.
Capabilities
Experience
- Seconded to the operator of a Formula 1 track to provide a broad spectrum of commercial legal support in connection with the annual Formula 1 Grand Prix and a suite of other events held at the venue, including motorsport, corporate, and community events.°
- Seconded to the sports division of the world’s largest talent agency to provide commercial legal assistance and regulatory support in connection with the 2022 English Premier League summer transfer window.°
- Baselined, benchmarked, designed, and drafted a comprehensive sports and events regulatory ecosystem for a Saudi Arabian giga project, including advising on the disapplication of base law and developing global best practices for the same.°
- Retained by a Saudi Arabian governmental entity to undertake a review of sports club regulations and provide advice on the drafting and implementing of certain new regulations.°
- Advised the venue operator of Dubai’s premier multipurpose sports and entertainment arena, including in respect of naming rights, sponsorship, ticketing, and venue hire matters.°
- Retained by a sports and events group to provide full legal support, including sponsorship, HSE, event ambassador agreements, broadcast arrangements, etc., in respect of an annual UCI sanctioned professional stage-based road race and their portfolio of mass-participation endurance events.°
- Advised a major video games publisher in relation to the full spectrum of legal support required for its operations across the Middle East.°
- Advised an esports tournament organizer on the contractual framework to stage an annual major international tournament in the UAE, as well as a calendar of year-round tournaments in schools.°
- Advised an esports team on the sale of a majority interest to a leading esports organization.°
- Advised an esports team on the establishment of a talent development pathway, as well as various sponsorship agreements.°
- Advised a tourism development authority on commercial and licensing matters relating to the introduction of a European Challenge golf tour event.°
- Advised a venue owner in relation to the use of its venue as a training site for teams participating in the FIFA Club World Cup and AFC Asian Cup.°
- Drafted the contractual framework for an exhibition match between Chelsea FC and Aston Villa FC held in Abu Dhabi.°
- Adjudicated on International Paralympic Committee anti-doping and classification appeal proceedings.°
- Defended tennis players in relation to match-fixing charges brought by the International Tennis Federation under the Tennis Anti-Corruption Program.°
- Advised numerous football clubs, players, and agents in connection with player contracts, regulatory compliance, disciplinary proceedings, and disputes.°
°The above representations were handled by Mr. Moroney prior to his joining Khalid Al-Thebity Law Firm in affiliation with Greenberg Traurig Limited.
- Legal Counsel, the English Football Association, 2016-2018
- Legal Secondee, Formula 1 track, 2018-19 and 2022
- Legal Secondee, sports division of the world’s largest talent agency, 2022
Recognition & Leadership
- Winner, Middle East Legal Awards, “Rising Star,” 2023
- International Paralympic Committee
- Anti-Doping Panel Member, 2020-Present
- Board of Appeal of Classification, 2020-Present
- Member, British Association of Sports Lawyers, 2018-Present
Credentials
- LL.B. (Hons), University of Nottingham
- Post Graduate Certificate, Sports Law, De Montfort University
- England and Wales