Raij Named to SportsBusiness Journal's "Forty Under 40"

Foley is pleased to announce that Irwin P. Raij has been named to the SportsBusiness Journal’s “Forty Under 40” class of 2011. This prestigious annual award recognizes the best and brightest young talent in the sports business industry. 

Mr. Raij is vice chair of Foley’s Sports Industry Team and also a member of the Government & Public Policy, Real Estate and Finance & Financial Institutions Practices. 

With a unique approach to consensus building, his practice focuses on counseling a variety of sports clients, including professional sports leagues, professional sports teams, and owners and acquirers of professional sports teams, on matters often involving complex public private partnerships. Mr. Raij advises sports clients in connection with a variety of new stadium development projects, construction agreements, new and interim lease agreements, acquisition of professional sports franchises, strategic counsel, commercial matters (including licensing arrangements, promotional and advertising agreements), ticketing arrangements, merchandising agreements, stadium service agreements, and radio broadcast agreements. 

Under Mr. Raij’s leadership, the Sports Industry Team recently closed deals for the successful buyers of the Texas Rangers and Chicago Cubs. His notable experience in the sports industry also includes the following:

• Florida Marlins Ballpark – Acted as MLB’s counsel in its successful efforts to facilitate the negotiation and approval of a new stadium for the Florida Marlins.
• Miami Dolphins – Provides legal and strategic counsel related to potential development and improvements at and around SunLife Stadium.
• Oakland A’s Ballpark Committee – Appointed by MLB Commissioner, Allan H. Selig, to serve on a three-person committee to determine feasibility of developing a new stadium for the Oakland A’s in Northern California.
• Washington Nationals – Represented MLB in the relocation of the Montreal Expos, now the Washington Nationals, to Washington, D.C. This work included negotiating and drafting interim lease agreement, the baseball stadium agreement for the new ballpark, the new stadium lease, the construction administration agreement and following the relocation to Washington, the legal work related to the team’s operations. Mr. Raij continues to provide counsel to the team. 

We sincerely congratulate Mr. Raij on his selection to the SportsBusiness Journal’s “Forty Under 40.”