A Sports Attorney's Game Plan

Mia Treuer, ’17, ’21, has had a front-row seat to hundreds of professional sporting events. 

It’s a perk of her job as a sports attorney working for teams and companies that represent professional hockey, basketball, and esports teams, sports venues, and more.    

When a UND School of Law professor told her that she had a law degree and an MBA, Mia’s game plan started taking shape. Mia didn’t want a traditional legal career and knew having both degrees would give her an advantage when seeking a job.

She started working overtime.   

During her second year of law school, Mia enrolled in an online, accelerated MBA at Concordia University in St. Paul, Minn. She also started networking with sports industry professionals on LinkedIn, which, Mia said, “jump-started my industry knowledge.” 

Her extra reps paid off. Mia has scored two jobs, and counting, in the sports industry. “In sports, I see value all the time. When I go to a game, I see the advertising and sponsorships we worked on; I see people having so much fun with their families.”

Her jobs provide constant learning opportunities. “There are many kinds of law involved in sports. There’s sweepstakes law, which is something you learn in the business. Data privacy is huge; you deal with players’ contracts, collective bargaining agreements, and alcohol laws because sports are a big draw for minors. You have to consider all of these different facets. You work with many departments: finance, global partnerships, strategy, and social media teams, and touch so many parts of the industry. That’s what I love about doing it.”

Mia’s Opening Rounds

Mia first worked in sports as a systems and reporting manager at Monumental Sports & Entertainment in Washington, D.C. Monumental owns eight professional sports teams including the Washington Capitals (NHL), Wizards (NBA), and Mystics (WNBA), the Capitol One Arena, and more. Her most challenging project was working with Caesars Sportsbook to create a jersey patch for the Capitals. Caesars was the first sportsbook to open an in-arena location in the U.S., at Capitol One Arena. “Sports betting is in its infancy, becoming legal in different states,” Mia said. “There are a lot of laws to consider when writing the jersey patch agreement.”  

Mia’s role expanded when she worked as Associate Counsel for the Orlando Magic. “I still worked on global partnerships and also handled waivers, NDAs, and contract management systems. It was an all-encompassing job.” 

While attending games is a highlight, Mia said employers are not looking for crazy fans. “These are businesses that want the best people working for them, people who care about the team and the organization, and who will also be objective and do the necessary work.” 

Too much loyalty can get in the way. “I am ride-or-die for the team I’m working for, but if I go to another NBA team, I’m going to be their fan.”

Mia has her next job in this industry lined up. Though she couldn’t divulge the specifics at press time, wherever it is, she will be in the stands cheering on her new favorite team.

I am ride-or-die for the team I’m working for, but if I go to another NBA team, I’m going to be their fan.Mia Treuer, ’17, ’21,