Ryan C. Chapoteau is a principal in the New York office of Jackson Lewis P.C., representing employers from professional sports teams to Fortune 50 companies in complex workplace matters. What follows is our exclusive interview
Question: How does your employment-law background translate into advising professional sports teams, leagues, or sports-adjacent companies on day-to-day workplace issues?
Answer: Sports employers operate in a fast-paced environment where employment decisions are often made under intense scrutiny and with little margin for error. Day-to-day workplace issues that might remain internal in other industries can quickly become public, creating legal, operational, and reputational consequences at the same time. I work with leagues, teams and other sports-adjacent organizations to navigate those challenges by providing practical, responsive legal advice. These clients aren’t just focused on athletes. They employ a wide range of professionals, from executives and coaches to operations and event staff, often across multiple jurisdictions, including both unionized and non-union individuals.
Q: What employment issues are you seeing most often right now in the sports industry—particularly around discrimination, retaliation, or wage-and-hour claims?
AMany sports organizations rely on temporary workers or third-party vendors to support stadium and event operations. Despite outsourcing much of this work, sports teams and leagues are still often named in wage and hour disputes under a joint employer theory. These claims highlight the importance of carefully structured vendor relationships, clearly defined roles, and thoughtful oversight practices that balance operational needs with legal exposure. And of course, the sports industry has experienced many of the same employment challenges seen across other sectors, including increased attention to workplace misconduct, discrimination, and retaliation claims. The rise in these claims serves as a good reminder of the importance of preventive training as well as thorough internal investigations.
Q: How do collective and class action risks play out differently for sports organizations compared with other industries?
A: Collective and class action risks often play out differently in the sports industry because of its high profile. Claims that might otherwise attract limited attention can quickly become headline news, bringing reputational and operational considerations into legal strategy. At the same time, many sports organizations operate within a collectively bargained framework. Collective bargaining agreements can significantly shape how disputes are addressed. Having access to Jackson Lewis’ deep bench of traditional labor and employment experience, allows organizations to draw on an understanding of both collective bargaining and modern employment litigation when developing strategies to manage exposure.
Q: What role does preventative counseling—policies, training, and investigations—play for sports employers that operate under intense public and media scrutiny?
A: Investing in clear policies, regular training, and thoughtful compliance efforts benefits almost any organization. The public and media scrutiny in the sports industry adds an additional layer of complexity. Therefore, I work with clients on proactive assessments of workplace practices and culture to identify potential areas of risk before they become distractions. For example, I enjoy working with sports teams and other entities to conduct a privileged workplace culture audit, which provides a detailed review of how an organization’s workforce views their work environment to assess potential risks and provide suggestions for improvement. For sports organizations, effective preventative counseling provides stability and allows the front office to minimize distractions to remain focused on a winning season.
Q: How do evolving state and local employment laws, particularly in New York, affect teams, leagues, and sports-related businesses with multi-state operations?
A: For sports organizations with operations across multiple jurisdictions, evolving state and local employment laws present ongoing compliance challenges. New York is often at the forefront of these developments, with expanded requirements related to pay transparency, worker classification, and workplace protections that can influence how organizations structure their policies. In many states, continued scrutiny of restrictive covenants and other contractual protections has also affected how sports organizations think about talent retention, particularly for front office and operational roles with institutional knowledge. When teams operate in multiple markets, changes in one jurisdiction frequently require a broader reassessment to ensure consistency and avoid unintended gaps.
Q: Are there emerging employment or labor issues in sports, such as NIL, athlete-adjacent staffing, or nontraditional worker classifications, which you think employers should be preparing for now?
A: I am especially interested right now in emerging issues around name, image and likeness and the intersection of that issue with technology, especially AI. The ability to replicate an individual’s likeness or voice creates new considerations that existing contracts may not fully address. Universities that take time now to evaluate potential risks will be better positioned to assist their students in managing them as both the law and technology continue to evolve.
