ArentFox Schiff Represents MLS’s Chicago Fire FC in Naming Rights Transaction

Under the agreement, Chicago Fire FC’s new approximately 22,000-seat, privately funded, state-of-the-art stadium at The 78, a transformative 62-acre mixed-use development in Chicago’s South Loop along the Chicago River, will be named “McDonald’s Park.” The transaction includes comprehensive naming rights to McDonald’s Park and sponsorship of Chicago Fire FC, as well as the establishment of a flagship McDonald’s restaurant at McDonald’s Park.

The AFS team was led by San Francisco Managing Partner and Sports Industry Group Co-Leader Richard Brand and Sports Industry Group partner Zak Welsh and the team also included associates Cheyenne Rodriguez and Eric Sanchez. This transaction is yet another recent example of the firm’s industry-leading experience in advising on major naming rights transactions, including numerous transactions with MLS Clubs. The AFS team worked hand in hand with Chicago Fire FC’s in-house legal team — Laura Warren, Shelby Klouse, and Elina Doolabh — to negotiate and finalize the deal.

ArentFox Schiff has one of the most experienced and diverse sports law practices in the country, which was recognized in 2025 as a “Practice Group of the Year” by Law360 in the Sports & Betting category. The Sports Group regularly advises leagues, teams, venues, operators, sponsors, and brands across all major professional and collegiate sports throughout the United States and internationally, as well as purchasers and sellers of professional franchises and other sports properties. The group also represents some of the most well-known athletes, media companies, private equity firms, and sports agencies, on a broad array of sports-related engagements, encompassing both transactional and litigation matters.

The group’s experience covers nearly every type of commercial transaction in the sports industry, including the purchase and sale of professional sports properties, stadium and arena development, naming rights and founding partnerships, sponsorship agreements, and key foundational operational agreements such as management agreements, ticketing agreements, food and beverage agreements, and pouring rights agreements. The Sports Group is preeminent in the field of naming rights, having worked on some of the biggest and most innovative deals in the sports industry. The team also negotiates some of the largest athlete endorsement agreements and steers large investments in professional sports franchises. Beyond transactional work, the group has extensive experience in dispute resolution, including many high-profile litigations and confidential disputes.