This week on the California Sports Lawyer Podcast, host Jeremy Evans breaks down the rise of the “franchise sports studio” — how leagues, teams, and media partners are quietly rebuilding sports to look a lot more like Hollywood. Using the new UFC–Paramount deal as a roadmap, Jeremy explores how live games and fights are becoming the tentpole “blockbusters”, surrounded by year-round universes of shoulder programming, docuseries, origin stories, rivalries, and archival content that keep fans locked in between events.
We unpack how this shift is reshaping dealmaking: rights packages moving from “games only” to “games plus universe,” athletes being treated as long-term IP with life story and likeness rights in play, and why control over the narrative engine around a property is becoming as valuable as the event itself. Jeremy explains what this means for leagues, athletes, streamers, networks, and sponsors — from contract negotiation and editorial control to NIL leverage, brand building, and new revenue streams across platforms.
Finally, we look ahead at where the franchise sports studio model goes from here: more crossovers between sports and entertainment, deeper integration of archives and storytelling, and how stakeholders can protect competitive integrity while still embracing cinematic, year-round engagement. If you care about where the business of sports is headed — and who owns the stories that keep fans watching — this episode is for you. (Season 7, Episode 48).
Listen in as award-winning attorney and industry leader Jeremy Evans navigates the fine print on the biggest topics and most interesting legal angles in entertainment, media, and sports law. The top entertainment, media, and sports podcast is streaming on all major platforms!
You can listen to the podcast, HERE.
About Jeremy M. Evans:
Jeremy M. Evans is the CEO and Managing Attorney at California Sports Lawyer®, representing entertainment, media, and sports clients in contractual, intellectual property, and dealmaking matters. Evans is an award-winning attorney and industry leader based in Los Angeles and Newport Beach, California. He can be reached at Jeremy@CSLlegal.com. www.CSLlegal.com.
About Bleav:
Bleav (pronounced believe) is a sports and entertainment studio and nationwide sports network. From athletes who played for the teams to passionate experts on topics you want to hear, Bleav is the #1 podcast network for professionals and fans. With 500 shows, 800 hosts with a combined 50M followers, 1000 hours of original content per month, and networks covering NFL, MLB, NBA, NCAAF, NCAAB, SEC, NHL, soccer, pop culture and more, Bleav is your destination for creators and fans of sports, teams and topics. Every Team. Every Topic. Everywhere! We Bleav in our teams, topics, and professionals. #DoYouBleav!?
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