Osborne Clarke has advised The Players' Tribune (TPT) on its first step in the global expansion of its digital platform, assisting it with the launch of its first platform outside of the US.

With its unparalleled access, TPT provides unique insight into the daily sports conversation, and has worked with some of the biggest names in sports. Building upon the successful foundation already developed in the US, TPT's debut in Europe, the Middle East and Africa (EMEA) will follow the company's high-quality approach to content production, while developing stories that have both global reach and local sensibility.

With offices in London and Barcelona, this new venture will be in partnership with Gerard Pique and his investment group, Kosmos, which will play an integral part in shaping the business. Alongside Pique, athlete launch partners include Dani Alves, Ronaldinho, Carmen Jorda, Thibaut Courtois, David Villa, Pau and Marc Gasol, Ivan Rakitic, Tomas Berdych, Stipe Miocic, Thiago Alcantara, among others. TPT will officially launch in EMEA in spring 2018 with comprehensive, multilingual content leading up to the 2018 World Cup.

Since its launch in 2014, The Players' Tribune has been a trusted outlet for athletes all over the world -- more than 1,800 have shared their personal stories and discussed important issues on the platform.  TPT's launch in EMEA will continue this momentum, with athlete contributors who include Lionel Messi, Neymar, Luis Suarez, Cristiano Ronaldo, Marcelo, Gabriel Jesus, Harry Kane, Antoine Griezmann, Gianluigi Buffon, James Rodriguez, Robert Lewandowski, Marta, Sachin Tendulkar, Jason Day, Ruqsana Begum, Lieke Martens, Francesco Totti, Chapecoense FC and many others.

TPT were advised by a trans-Atlantic Osborne Clarke team, made up of Partner and Head of Osborne Clarke's New York office Steve Wilson and International Expansion Manager Tim Rezendes in the US and Senior Associate James Taylor and Partner Simon Jones in the UK.