Michael Heitner Counsel mheitner@herrick.com New York (212) 592-1407 PHONE (212) 545-3337 FAX SERVICES Corporate, Sports, Intellectual Property EDUCATION Yale Law School (J.D., 1963) Dartmouth College (B.A., 1960) ADMISSIONS New York Michael Heitner focuses on sports and entertainment transactions with a concentration in television sports, as well as corporate transactions and corporate finance. Mike serves as outside general counsel to longtime client Bob Arum's Las Vegas-based Top Rank, Inc. He helped to form Top Rank, and has since handled many contractual aspects of its highly successful worldwide boxing promotion business. Mike's contracts with fighters extend all the way from Muhammad Ali, Marvin Hagler, Tommy Hearns, Sugar Ray Leonard and Julio Cesar Chavez, to modern stars such as Floyd Mayweather, Jr., Oscar De La Hoya, Miguel Cotto and Manny Pacquiao. He also handles Top Rank's contracts with arenas such as Madison Square Garden and casino venues such as the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, television distribution agreements with HBO, Showtime and foreign broadcasters, as well as major sponsorships, event merchandising and other brand-building activities. Mike has also represented arena owners, promoters and broadcasters in major concerts, such as The Three Tenors and Andrea Bocelli, Billy Joel's farewell concert at Shea Stadium and Citi Field s inaugural concert featuring Paul McCartney. Memberships & Associations New York City Bar Association New York State Bar Association o Committee on Television and Radio Executive Committee, Dartmouth Alumni Association of New York City Secretary and Legal Advisor, National Rowing Foundation Former Trustee, Poly Prep Country Day School
Matters Top Rank - Terence Crawford v. Julius Indongo Represented Top Rank in the production and broadcast of the Terence Crawford v. Julius Indongo bout held at the Pinnacle Bank Arena on August 19, 2017 in Lincoln, Nebraska. Top Rank - Vasyl Lomachenkov v. Miguel Marriaga Represented Top Rank in the production and broadcast of the Vasyl Lomachenko v. Miguel Marriaga bout, held on August 5, 2017 at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles. Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao vs. Jessie Vargas Represented Top Rank in all television license agreements with U.S., Canadian and Puerto Rican pay-per-view and closed-circuit television distributors and exhibitors, as well as all international licensing agreements for the November 5 world welterweight championship between Manny Pacquiao and Jessie Vargas, held at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas. Top Rank - Terrence Crawford v. Victor Postol Represented Top Rank in the July 23 HBO pay-per-view world championship bout between Terrence Crawford and Victor Postol at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. Top Rank - Martinez v. Lomachenko and Verdego v. Martinez Represented Top Rank in the June 11 Rocky Martinez v. Vasyl Lomachenko super featherweight championship bout and the Felix Verdejo v. Juan Martinez lightweight championship bout at Madison Square Garden. Both matches were distributed by HBO. Top Rank - Floyd Mayweather, Jr. v. Manny Pacquiao Represented Top Rank in the worldwide promotion of one of the biggest boxing matches of all time - the 2015 Floyd Mayweather, Jr. v. Manny Pacquiao fight at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas. The event was promoted by Mayweather Promotions LLC, Top Rank, Showtime Networks and HBO and telecast live to more than 150 countries outside of the U.S. and Canada. Doyle New York - Asset Acquisition Represented Doyle New York in its acquisition of selected assets of Summerfield's of Beverly Hills. We continue to advise Doyle in connection with local licensing and regulatory requirements. Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao v. Chris Algieri Represented Top Rank in the HBO Pay-Per-View worldwide promotion of the Manny Pacquiao v. Chris Algieri world championship title bout held November 22, 2014 at the Cotai Arena in Macau, China. Top Rank - Miguel Cotto v. Sergio Martinez Represented Top Rank in the Miguel Cotto v. Sergio Martinez sellout world middleweight championship title bout held June 7, 2014 at Madison Square Garden in New York City. The match was telecast throughout the US on HBO pay-per-view and viewed worldwide on numerous networks. Top Rank - Sony Playstation 4 Sponsorship Represented Top Rank in SONY Computer Entertainment's sponsorship of Top Rank's pay-per-view boxing programs. The sponsorship will give the Sony PlayStation 4 brand prominent placement at Top Rank's internationally televised matches, beginning with the April 12, 2014 Manny Pacquiao vs. Timothy Bradley rematch at the MGM Grand Garden Arena in Las Vegas.
Top Rank - Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. v. Bryan Vera Represented Top Rank in the Julio Cesar Chavez Jr. v. Bryan Vera HBO televised super middleweight bout held March 1, 2014 at the Alamo Dome in San Antonio, Texas. Top Rank - Nonito Donaire v. Guillermo Rigondeaux Represented Top Rank in the Nonito Donaire v. Guillermo Rigondeaux junior featherweight title bout held April 13, 2013 headlining an HBO Championship Boxing program from the stage of Radio City Music Hall. Top Rank - Mikey Garcia v. Juan Manuel Lopez Represented Top Rank in the Mikey Garcia v. Juan Manuel Lopez featherweight championship title bout held June 15 at the American Airlines Center in Dallas, Texas. Top Rank - Zou Shiming v. Jose Ortega Represented Top Rank in the April 5, 2013, promotion of the Zou Shiming v. Jose Ortega bout held at the Venetian Hotel & Casino in Macau, China. Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao v. Juan Manuel Marquez IV WBO Represented Top Rank in the Manny Pacquiao v. Juan Manuel Marquez IV WBO held December 8, 2012 at MGM Grand Garden Arena and telecast on HBO pay-per-view. Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao v. Timothy Bradley Jr. WBO Represented Top Rank in the Manny Pacquiao v. Timothy Bradley Jr. WBO welterweight championship bout held June 9, 2012 at MGM Grand Garden Arena and telecast on HBO pay-per-view. Top Rank - Julio Cesar Chavez v. Sergio Martinez WBC Represented Top Rank in the Julio Cesar Chavez v. Sergio Martinez WBC middleweight championship bout held September 15, 2012 at the Thomas & Mack Center in Las Vegas and telecast on HBO pay-per-view. Top Rank - Telecast Contracts Represented Top Rank Inc. in contracting with athletes and arenas, domestic and international TV broadcasters, and HBO to broadcast numerous high-profile championship bouts around the world. Top Rank Boxing - Broadcast Contract Structure Represented Top Rank Boxing in the negotiation and drafting of contracts for pay-per-view television revenue and international rights licensing. Herrick attorneys pioneered the contract structure that we continue to apply to practically every major championship boxing program for worldwide telecasts. Concert promoters and venues also turn to us for our help applying the same structure to concerts and other performances. New York Yankees/Top Rank - Stadium Slugfest Represented both Top Rank and the New York Yankees in the Stadium Slugfest event at Yankee stadium. The event featured the Super Welterweight Championship bout between Yuri Foreman and Miguel Cotto. This was the first boxing event at the new Yankee Stadium, which generated a great deal of media coverage and was offered as part of HBO's regular subscription service rather than pay-per-view. We represented Top Rank and the Yankees with respect to the site agreement, and also produced all agreements with the fighters, HBO, the international TV broadcasters and sponsors.
Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey Represented Top Rank in producing principal agreements for the WBO World Welterweight Championship boxing match between Manny Pacquiao vs. Joshua Clottey at the new Cowboys Stadium in Arlington, Texas, and distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View. This first boxing event held at the new stadium drew a record crowd. We handled all agreements with the fighters, the site, HBO PPV, TV broadcasters around the world and sponsors. Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao v. Miguel Cotto Represented Top Rank in the Manny Pacquiao v. Miguel Cotto Welterweight Championship Bout. The Manny Pacquiao v Miguel Cotto bout, held November 14, 2009 at the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, was the highest grossing pay-per-view event of 2009 and one of the most successful boxing events ever. Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao v. Ricky Hatton Represented Top Rank in the Manny Pacquiao v. Ricky Hatton welterweight championship bout, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, May 2, 2009, distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View. William Doyle Galleries - Auctions Representing William Doyle Galleries in legal matters related to high profile auctions. Top Rank - Miguel Cotto v. Antonio Margarito Represented Top Rank in the Miguel Cotto v. Antonio Margarito WBA welterweight championship, MGM Grand, Las Vegas, July 26, 2008, distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View Telecast. Top Rank - Manny Pacquiao v. David Diaz Represented Top Rank in the Manny Pacquiao v. David Diaz WBC lightweight championship bout, Mandalay Bay Resort & Casino, Las Vegas, June 28, 2008, distributed by HBO Pay-Per-View Telecast. Top Rank - Kelly Pavlik v. Gary Lockett Represented Top Rank in the Kelly Pavlik v. Gary Lockett WBC/WBO middleweight championship bout, Boardwalk Hall, Atlantic City, June 7, 2008, distributed by HBO Championship Boxing. Top Rank - Kelly Pavlik v. Jermain Taylor II Represented Top Rank in the Kelly Pavlik v. Jermain Taylor II 12-round middleweight bout. Apparel Companies - Licensing Represented apparel companies in negotiating licensing rights with major fashion brands, such as Kenneth Cole, Tahari, Ralph Lauren and others. NHL - Real Time Scoring and Video Systems Represented the National Hockey League in negotiating new real time scoring and video delivery systems. Herrick helped craft a series of creative technology deals that enabled the league to pull live video and real-time game video, audio, and statistical data and feed it back to a central hub for distribution in real time to other arenas, broadcasters, websites, cell phones and wherever else the league pushes that content. Major Comic Book Company - Library Acquisition Represented purchaser of a significant comic book library from a prominent video game company's Chapter 7 Bankruptcy Trustee.
Publications Summer 2014 The Herrick Scorecard Sports Alert