Vice President/Senior Counsel, Legal - Sports

NBCUniversal is one of the world's leading media and entertainment companies. We create world-class content, which we distribute across our portfolio of film, television, and streaming, and bring to life through our theme parks and consumer experiences. We own and operate leading entertainment and news brands, including NBC, NBC News, MSNBC, CNBC, NBC Sports, Telemundo, NBC Local Stations, Bravo, USA Network, and Peacock, our premium ad-supported streaming service. We produce and distribute premier filmed entertainment and programming through Universal Filmed Entertainment Group and Universal Studio Group, and have world-renowned theme parks and attractions through Universal Destinations & Experiences. NBCUniversal is a subsidiary of Comcast Corporation.

Our impact is rooted in improving the communities where our employees, customers, and audiences live and work. We have a rich tradition of giving back and ensuring our employees have the opportunity to serve their communities. We champion an inclusive culture and strive to attract and develop a talented workforce to create and deliver a wide range of content reflecting our world.

Comcast NBCUniversal has announced its intent to create a new publicly traded company ('Versant') comprised of most of NBCUniversal's cable television networks, including USA Network, CNBC, MSNBC, Oxygen, E!, SYFY and Golf Channel along with complementary digital assets Fandango, Rotten Tomatoes, GolfNow, GolfPass, and SportsEngine. The well-capitalized company will have significant scale as a pure-play set of assets anchored by leading news, sports and entertainment content. The spin-off is expected to be completed during 2025.

Responsibilities:

• Draft, review, and negotiate a wide variety of rights acquisition agreements and other commercial agreements for Versant’s sports division, including Golf Channel, USA Network and their respective websites and digital platforms.
• Agreements may include various forms of rights agreements with leagues, conferences, national governing bodies, international federations, sports teams, colleges, and other sports content suppliers (including content/program agreements, time buy agreements, barter agreements, etc.), sponsorship agreements, programming development agreements, syndication agreements and other commercial agreements
• Counsel clients on contractual interpretation, advertising and promotional rights, production obligations, intellectual property usage, clearance issues and pre-litigation dispute resolution associated with sports and programming rights
• Liaise with and advise TV and Digital distribution teams on rights and clearances associated with linear and digital distribution matters
• Present analyses directly to executives and management

Required Qualifications:

• Minimum seven (7) total years of related experience for the Senior Counsel level and ten (10) total years of related experience for the Vice President level, with some experience at comparable in-house position
• Capable of providing practical legal advice to members of business team at all levels
• Experience in drafting and negotiating sports rights acquisitions
• JD degree from an accredited US law school
• Member of a state bar in good standing

Desired Characteristics: 

• Ability to work independently, multi-task successfully and meet multiple deadlines in a fast-paced environment, with minimal supervision
• Experience in broadcast media or sports industry, and/or new media and/or an understanding of television, cable industry and/or new media distribution businesses, a plus
• Excellent drafting skills
• Must be a team player
• Managerial experience a plus, but not mandatory

Additional Requirements

• Hybrid: This position has been designated as hybrid, generally contributing from the office a minimum of three days per week. Subject to change based on Manager discussion or business need.
• This position is eligible for company sponsored benefits, including medical, dental and vision insurance, 401(k), paid leave, tuition reimbursement, and a variety of other discounts and perks. Learn more about the benefits offered by NBCUniversal by visiting the Benefits page of the Careers website.
• Salary range for VP level: $200,000 - $280,000 (bonus and long-term incentive eligible).
• Salary range for Senior Counsel level: $165,000 - $200,000 (bonus and long-term incentive eligible).

As part of our selection process, external candidates may be required to attend an in-person interview with an NBCUniversal employee at one of our locations prior to a hiring decision. NBCUniversal's policy is to provide equal employment opportunities to all applicants and employees without regard to race, color, religion, creed, gender, gender identity or expression, age, national origin or ancestry, citizenship, disability, sexual orientation, marital status, pregnancy, veteran status, membership in the uniformed services, genetic information, or any other basis protected by applicable law.

If you are a qualified individual with a disability or a disabled veteran and require support throughout the application and/or recruitment process as a result of your disability, you have the right to request a reasonable accommodation. You can submit your request to [email protected].

Although you'll be hired as an NBCU employee, your employment and the responsibilities associated with this job likely will transition to Versant in the future. By joining at this pivotal time, you'll be a part of this exciting company as it takes shape.