Matthew J. Bacal
Member of IP, Tech & Commercial Transactions and Data Privacy & Cybersecurity practices. Advises on a wide range of IP, tech, media, sports and privacy matters.
Matt is a member of our IP, Tech & Commercial Transactions and Data Privacy & Cybersecurity practices. He advises clients on IP, technology, media and privacy issues arising from their operations and commercial transactions such as M&A, licensing, development and outsourcing/services arrangements, joint ventures and collaborations, financings, restructurings and capital markets offerings.
He has a particular focus on structuring, negotiating and drafting strategic licensing, development, supply, outsourcing, services and other commercial arrangements relating to media and sports rights, content distribution, data use and commercialization, branding, sponsorship, fashion, software and other technology. Matt also counsels clients on copyright and data privacy law, including in connection with the design, development and commercialization of products and services.
In his pro bono practice, Matt provides IP and commercial advice to a variety of arts and education-focused nonprofits.
Experience highlights
- Comcast on a wide array of commercial transactions, including:
- Comcast’s acquisitions of NBCUniversal and Sky, and NBCUniversal’s acquisition of DreamWorks Animation
- The creation and operation of various technology development joint ventures, including JVs with partners such as Verizon, Charter, Liberty Global and Arris
- The negotiation of licensing, development, supply and other strategic commercial transactions with various cable industry technology suppliers, including Arris, Broadcom, Cisco, Intel, LG, Motorola, Samsung, Synamedia, Technicolor, TiVo and many others
- The negotiation of various complex software-as-a-service (SaaS) and platform-as-a-service (PaaS) arrangements between Comcast and other MSOs in the United States and Canada
- The setting up of regional sports networks and the negotiation of media rights agreements between Comcast’s RSNs and various NBA and MLB franchises, as well as advising the Golf Channel, Versus, G4 and E!, among others, in connection with various programming matters
- Comcast and NBCUniversal on a range of advisory matters relating to contract interpretation, copyright law, and related disputes, including providing regular advice to Comcast’s legal and product teams in connection with product design and developments in digital content distribution technologies, and counseling Comcast in connection with NBCUniversal’s copyright infringement actions against FilmOn and Aereo (the latter of which was decided by the U.S. Supreme Court)
- The owners of the Los Angeles Dodgers in connection with the formation and operation of a new regional sports network and related commercial arrangements with Time Warner Cable, Charter and AT&T; the Los Angeles Dodgers in connection with joint ventures and other commercial transactions relating to the sale of Dodgers tickets in the secondary market
- The owners of a basketball club in connection with their dealings with the NBA and certain NBA franchises
- Baker Hughes on a wide array of commercial arrangements, including those relating to its separation from General Electric
- Reliance Industries Limited on investments by Facebook and Google into Jio Platforms, and related commercial arrangements
- Tory Burch in connection with various IP licensing arrangements
- Circle Internet Financial on a variety of crypto-related data licensing arrangements
Insights
Education
- Carroll G. Harper Prize for Outstanding Achievement in Intellectual Property Studies
- Harlan Fiske Stone Scholar
- magna cum laude
Professional history
- Partner, 2021-present
- Counsel, 2013-2021
- Davis Polk since 2005
Qualifications and admissions
- State of New York