Sponsorship should be a genuine partnership – and every partnership starts with a fair contract.
Our Athlete Support Division represents professional athletes from across Europe in their dealings with international sponsors, brands, agents and advisers. We review, negotiate and, where necessary, enforce your sponsorship and endorsement agreements – so that you are treated as an equal partner, not as a marketing asset.
For all enquiries regarding the Athlete Support Division, please contact Dr. Lindner Rechtsanwälte. Call us or send us an enquiry – we will take care of your case.
Why athletes need independent legal advice on sponsorship contracts
Most professional athletes sign sponsorship agreements drafted by the sponsor’s own legal department. The terms are presented as “standard” and often dictated on a take-it-or-leave-it basis. On top of that, agents, managers and advisers sit between athlete and brand – and not all of them act solely in the athlete’s interest.
Athletes usually lack the time, the resources and the negotiating experience to push back. Careers are short, the pressure to sign is high, and the other side negotiates contracts like these every day. The result is an imbalance that shows up in the details:
- Unlimited image rights: name, image and likeness granted without clear limits in time, territory or media.
- Broad exclusivity clauses that block other partners or collide with team, event or federation sponsors.
- Vague morality clauses that let the sponsor terminate the deal or reclaim payments at its own discretion.
- Termination or payment cuts after injury, a loss of form or a drop in rankings.
- Open-ended obligations for social media posts, appearances and content production without fair compensation.
- Late, reduced or withheld payments and bonuses that are never paid out.
- Agent and management contracts with long terms, high commissions, commissions after the contract has ended, or undisclosed conflicts of interest.
- Foreign law and jurisdiction clauses that make enforcing your rights expensive and slow.
None of this is inevitable. Almost every sponsorship contract can be negotiated – if the athlete has someone at the table who knows how large companies negotiate.
What our Athlete Support Division does for you
Sponsorship and endorsement agreements
We review sponsorship, endorsement and equipment contracts before you sign, flag unfair clauses and explain the risks in plain language. We then negotiate better terms directly with the sponsor – or support you in the background if you prefer to lead the talks yourself.
Image rights and personal brand
Your name, image and likeness are your most valuable assets. We make sure licences are limited in scope, time and territory, that content usage is clearly defined and paid for, and we take action against unauthorised commercial use of your image.
Agent, management and advisory contracts
We review and renegotiate agreements with agents, managers and advisers: commissions, term, exclusivity, termination rights and conflicts of interest. If a relationship has broken down, we help you exit it cleanly and assert claims where commissions were charged without justification.
Conflicts with team, event and federation rules
Personal sponsors, team sponsors and federation advertising rules often pull in different directions. We check your contracts against these rules before conflicts arise – and resolve them when they do.
Enforcing your rights
If a sponsor stops paying, cuts bonuses or terminates without valid grounds, we enforce your claims: out of court first, and before state courts or in arbitration proceedings where necessary.
Ongoing support
Athletes with several partners benefit from a permanent point of contact. We accompany renewals, new deals and changes in your career – so that every contract fits the overall picture.
Why athletes work with us
We stand up for the smaller party
Since our founding, Dr. Lindner Rechtsanwälte has enforced the rights of individuals and smaller businesses against large corporations, banks and insurers. We know how corporate legal departments negotiate – and how to be taken seriously by them. That experience is exactly what athletes need when facing international brands.
We are rooted in sport
Many members of our team are athletes themselves, from endurance cycling to other disciplines – our team regularly lines up at events such as the Shades of Speed cycling marathon. We understand training cycles, competition calendars, injuries and the pressure of a short career. This is where the Athlete Support Division was born.
We work internationally
We represent clients across Europe and beyond. Negotiations and proceedings in English are routine for us, and we also advise in German, Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian. Through our International Desk and our network of lawyers, tax advisers and notaries abroad, we can support you wherever your sponsors are based.
We advise on equal footing
You get a clear assessment of your options, opportunities and risks – no jargon and no false promises. Our goal is a contract that you understand and that reflects your real value as a partner.
How we work with you
- Initial conversation: We get to know you, your sport and your current contracts and partners.
- Contract check: You receive a clear assessment of your contract – with red flags, priorities and concrete proposals for changes.
- Negotiation: We negotiate with the sponsor, agent or adviser on your behalf, or support you in the background.
- Enforcement: If a partner does not keep its side of the deal, we enforce your claims – out of court, in court or in arbitration.
- Long-term support: We stay at your side for renewals, new deals and the next steps in your career.
You know the costs before we start. We agree on fees transparently and in advance.
Frequently asked questions
Can a sponsor’s “standard contract” really be negotiated?
Yes, almost always. Sponsors start with terms that favour themselves. Professional, well-founded change requests are part of normal business – and are usually accepted in part or in full.
When should I involve a lawyer?
Ideally before you sign. Changing a contract during negotiations is far easier and cheaper than fighting an unfair clause later. If a dispute has already arisen, contact us as early as possible, as deadlines may apply.
What is a morality clause and why does it matter?
A morality clause allows the sponsor to terminate or reduce payments if your conduct could damage its reputation. Vaguely worded clauses give the sponsor wide discretion. We make sure triggers are clearly defined and proportionate.
My agent already reviews my contracts. Do I still need a lawyer?
An agent’s commission usually depends on the deal being signed. Independent legal advice ensures that the contract terms themselves protect you – including the terms of your agreement with the agent.
Do you represent athletes outside Germany?
Yes. We represent professional athletes from across Europe and advise in English, German, Serbian, Croatian and Bosnian. Where foreign law applies, we work with trusted partner firms abroad.
What happens if my sponsor stops paying?
We assess your claims, set the sponsor a deadline and enforce outstanding payments – out of court first, and before the courts or in arbitration where necessary.
Let’s talk about your contract
Whether you are about to sign your first sponsorship deal or a partner is not keeping its promises: talk to us before it gets expensive. Your contact for the Athlete Support Division is Dr. Lindner Rechtsanwälte.
Call us or send us an enquiry – we look forward to helping you secure a sponsorship that is a true partnership.
Athlete Support Division: Faire Sponsoringverträge für Profisportler
Sponsoring soll echte Partnerschaft sein – und Partnerschaft beginnt mit einem fairen Vertrag. Unsere Athlete Support Division vertritt professionelle Athletinnen und Athleten aus ganz Europa gegenüber internationalen Sponsoren, Agenturen und Beratern.
Vertragsbedingungen und Sponsoring-Konditionen werden oft einseitig diktiert. Den Sportlern fehlen die Mittel und die Erfahrung, auf Augenhöhe zu verhandeln. Typisch sind unbegrenzte Bildrechte, weitreichende Exklusivitätsklauseln, vage Moralklauseln, Kürzungen nach Verletzungen und ausbleibende Zahlungen.
Unsere Kanzlei setzt seit jeher die Rechte der Kleineren gegen die Großen durch, und unser Team ist selbst stark im Sport verwurzelt. Wir prüfen und verhandeln Sponsoring-, Ausrüster- und Agenturverträge, schützen Ihre Persönlichkeits- und Bildrechte und setzen Ihre Ansprüche außergerichtlich, vor Gericht oder im Schiedsverfahren durch. Wir beraten auf Deutsch, Englisch, Serbisch, Kroatisch und Bosnisch.
Ihr Ansprechpartner ist Dr. Lindner Rechtsanwälte. Rufen Sie uns an oder senden Sie uns eine Anfrage.