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ARBITRATION AND RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT

PLEASE READ THIS ARBITRATION AND RELEASE AND WAIVER OF LIABILITY AGREEMENT (THIS “AGREEMENT”) COMPLETELY AND CAREFULLY BEFORE AGREEING TO THE TERMS HEREIN.  THIS AGREEMENT HAS LEGAL CONSEQUENCES AND WILL AFFECT YOUR LEGAL RIGHTS AND ABILITY TO BRING FUTURE LEGAL ACTIONS.  THIS AGREEMENT INCLUDES A DISPUTE RESOLUTION SECTION (INCLUDING AN ARBITRATION AGREEMENT, CLASS ACTION WAIVER, AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER). IN ARBITRATION, THERE IS LESS DISCOVERY AND APPELLATE REVIEW THAN IN COURT.

IF YOU ARE AGREEING TO THIS AGREEMENT ON BEHALF OF AN INDIVIDUAL UNDER THE AGE OF EIGHTEEN (18) (“MINOR”), YOU ARE AGREEING TO LET THE MINOR ENGAGE IN A POTENTIALLY DANGEROUS ACTIVITY; THAT, EVEN IF THE RELEASED PARTIES (AS DEFINED BELOW) USE REASONABLE CARE IN PROVIDING THIS ACTIVITY, THERE IS A CHANCE THE MINOR MAY BE SERIOUSLY INJURED OR KILLED BY PARTICIPATING IN THIS ACTIVITY BECAUSE THERE ARE CERTAIN DANGERS INHERENT IN THE ACTIVITY WHICH CANNOT BE AVOIDED OR ELIMINATED;  AND THAT YOU ARE GIVING UP THE MINOR’S RIGHT AND YOUR RIGHT TO RECOVER FROM THE RELEASED PARTIES IN A LAWSUIT FOR ANY PERSONAL INJURY, INCLUDING DEATH, TO THE MINOR OR ANY PROPERTY DAMAGE THAT RESULTS FROM THE RISKS THAT ARE A NATURAL PART OF THE ACTIVITY.  YOU HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT, AND THE TEAM ENTITIES HAVE THE RIGHT TO REFUSE TO LET YOU OR THE MINOR PARTICIPATE IN THE ACTIVITY IF YOU DO NOT SIGN THIS FORM.

IN CONSIDERATION of being permitted to enter and remain at [insert Stadium name], including all surrounding parking areas, pedestrian plazas, entryways, and other ancillary areas (collectively, the “Stadium”) for a home game or other event of [insert team name], I, and if I am under the age of eighteen (18), my parent or legal guardian for themselves and on my behalf, on behalf of myself and my heirs, assigns, executors, administrators, next of kin, (collectively, “Related Persons”), hereby acknowledge and agree as follows:

1. Acknowledgments of Communicable Diseases and Other Risks.  I fully understand that (a) the novel coronavirus SARS-CoV-2 and any resulting disease (together with any mutation, adaptation, or variation thereof, “COVID-19”) and other communicable diseases (“together referred to herein as “Communicable Diseases”)  may be  extremely contagious diseases that can lead to severe illness and death, and there may be an inherent danger and risk of exposure to Communicable Diseases in any place where people are present; (b) no precautions, including the protocols that will be implemented from time to time by [list all applicable entities that would bear liability for events held at the Stadium] (collectively, the “Team Entities”) and/or third parties (including, but not limited to, federal and state governmental agencies) (collectively, the “Stadium Protocols”), can eliminate the risk of exposure to Communicable Diseases; (c) while people of all ages and health conditions can be and have been adversely affected by any Communicable Disease, according to public health authorities: (i) people with certain underlying medical conditions are or may be especially vulnerable; and (ii) the risk of severe illness from the contraction of a Communicable Disease may increase with age, and contracting a Communicable Disease can result in the further transmission of a Communicable Disease to my spouse, family members, and other contacts; and (d) exposure to a Communicable Disease can result in being subject to quarantine requirements, illness, disability, other short-term and long-term health effects, and/or death, regardless of age or health condition.  I fully understand and knowingly and voluntarily assume all risks related to my entry into, and presence in, the Stadium, which may include an increased risk of exposure to COMMUNICABLE DISEASES, personal injury, disability, other short-term or long-term health effects, AND/OR death, which might result from the actions, inactions, or negligence of MYSELF, any of the Released Parties, OR OTHER THIRD PARTIES.  I accept personal responsibility for any and all damages, liability, and other losses that I or any of my Related Persons may incur in connection with the foregoing risks. 

2. Release, Waiver of Liability, and Covenant Not to Sue.*  (A)  on behalf of myself and each of my Related Persons, I hereby KNOWINGLY, voluntarily, irrevocably, AND FOREVER release, waive, and discharge (and covenant not to sue), each and all of the Released Parties from (or with respect to) any and all claims, suits, causes of action, and claims for damages, whether past, present, or future, and whether known or unknown,* INCLUDING, BUT NOT LIMITED TO, CLAIMS ARISING OUT OF OR IN CONNECTION WITH MY DEATH, PERSONAL INJURY, ILLNESS, DISABILITY, SUFFERING OF SHORT-TERM OR LONG-TERM HEALTH EFFECTS, OR LOSS OF OR DAMAGE TO PROPERTY, which I or any of my Related Persons may have or hereafter accrue against any of the Released Parties as a result of or that relate in any way to (i) my exposure to ANY COMMUNICABLE DISEASE; (ii) mY travel to and from, ENTRY INTO, OR presence within, the STADIUM or compliance with THE Stadium Protocols or any other policies or protocols applicable to the stadium; (iii) ANY INTERACTION BETWEEN ME AND ANY PERSONNEL OF ANY OF THE RELEASED PARTIES PRESENT AT the STADIUM (INCLUDING, WITHOUT LIMITATION, ANY USHERS, TICKET-TAKERS, EVENT SECURITY, HEALTH AND SAFETY PERSONNEL, OR CLEANING, CONCESSIONS, OR PARKING PERSONNEL); or (iv) any of the risks identified above in Section 1, in each case whether caused by any action, inaction, or negligence of any Released Party or otherwise.

(B)  For the purposes hereof, the “Released Parties” are: (i) PRO SOCCER DEVELOPMENT, L.P. and its affiliates (“MLS NEXT Pro”), major league soccer, l.l.c. AND ITS AFFILIATES (“mls”), soccer united marketing, llc (“SUM”), THE partners OF MLS NEXT PRO, THE members of MLS, AND EACH OF THE MLS NEXT PRO TEAMS AND mls tEAMS OPERATED BY THEM, and each of their respective DIRECT AND INDIRECT affiliates, MEMBERS, pARTNERS, administrators, designees, licensees, agents, owners, officers, directors, employees, SPONSORS, INVITEES, AND contractors (AND ALL EMPLOYEES OF SUCH CONTRACTORS), and other personnel (collectively, including MLS NEXT Pro, MLS, SUM, AND THE MLS NEXT Pro TEAM ENTITIES AND THE MLS TEAM ENTITIES, the “mls next pRO Parties”); (ii) the DIRECT AND INDIRECT owners, lessees, and sublessees of the stadium; (Iii) concessionaires, merchandisers, other vendors, and all other contractors performing services at the stadium; (iv) other third parties present at or from time to time brought to the stadium (including, without limitation, medical personnel); and (v) any parents, subsidiaries, affiliated and related companies, and officers, directors, owners, members, managers, partners, employers, employees, agents, contractors, sub-contractors, insurers, representatives, successors, and/or assigns of each of the foregoing entities and persons, whether past, present, or future, and whether in their institutional or personal capacities.

3. Indemnification. I agree to indemnify and hold the Released Parties harmless from any liability, claims, demands, costs, expenses, and attorneys’ fees incurred by any of the Released Parties as a result of (a) my, or any person on my behalf, including the Related Persons, assertion of any claims arising from, relating to, or in connection with activities that I have acknowledged and assumed risk and/or which is covered by the waiver and release under Sections 1 and 2; and (b) all claims and amounts related to legal and other actions brought against any of the Released Parties, to the extent such claims are attributable to my negligence or willful misconduct or a violation or breach of this Agreement.

4. Dispute Resolution.

THIS IS A SUMMARY OF MANDATORY TERMS. FOR FULL TERMS RELATED TO DISPUTE RESOLUTION AND BINDING ARBITRATION, CLASS ACTION WAIVER AND JURY TRIAL WAIVER, AND CHOICE OF LAW PLEASE VISIT MLSNEXTPRO.COM/LEGAL/TERMS-OF-SERVICE.

i agree that:

• ANY CURRENT OR FUTURE DISPUTE RELATING TO this agreement, THE EVENT OR THE STADIUM ARISING BETWEEN me or my related persons AND any PERSON OR PARTY INCLUDED WITHIN THE DEFINITION OF “released parties” SHALL BE RESOLVED IN BINDING INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION. THIS ARBITRATION AGREEMENT IS GOVERNED BY THE FEDERAL ARBITRATION ACT.

• EITHER PARTY HAS THE ABILITY TO BRING DISPUTES IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT (THIS RIGHT DOES NOT ALLOW A PARTY TO removE or appeal A DISPUTE to a court of general jurisdiction). Any disagreement as to whether a Dispute is within the jurisdictional limits of small claims court is for a court to decide and any arbitration shall be stayed.

• BEFORE INITIATING ANY ARBITRATION PROCEEDING, A WRITTEN "NOTICE OF DISPUTE" MUST CONTAIN THE FOLLOWING INFORMATION: (i) information sufficient to identify any transaction, activity, or occurrence at issue; (ii) contact information (including name, address, telephone number, and email address); and (iii) a detailed description of the nature and basis of the Dispute (including the date of any transaction, activity or occurrence at issue) and the relief sought, including a calculation for it. THE NOTICE MUST BE PERSONALLY SIGNED BY me (AND my COUNSEL, IF REPRESENTED). IF i have A DISPUTE, i SHALL SEND A COMPLETED NOTICE OF DISPUTE BY EMAIL TO legalnotices@MLSnextpro.com. THIS IS A CONDITION PRECEDENT TO ARBITRATION.  i and all other parties AGREE TO MAKE A GOOD FAITH EFFORT TO RESOLVE ANY DISPUTE FOR AT LEAST sixty (60) DAYS FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF A COMPLETED NOTICE OF DISPUTE.  All applicable limitations periods (including statutes of limitations) will be tolled from the date of receipt of a completed notice OF DISPUTE through the conclusion of this Process.

• IF THE PARTIES CANNOT RESOLVE A DISPUTE WITHIN sixty (60) DAYS FOLLOWING RECEIPT OF A COMPLETED NOTICE OF DISPUTE, IT SHALL BE RESOLVED BY BINDING INDIVIDUAL ARBITRATION ADMINISTERED BY National Arbitration and Mediation (“NAM”) and heard by a single, neutral arbitrator. THE NAM RULES WILL GOVERN EXCEPT AS SPECIFICALLY MODIFIED.  THERE ARE ADDITIONAL PROCEDURES FOR “MASS FILINGS.”

• ALL ISSUES ARE FOR THE ARBITRATOR TO DECIDE EXCEPT THE FOLLOWING, WHICH ARE FOR A COURT OF COMPETENT JURISDICTION TO DECIDE: (1) ISSUES THAT ARE SPECIFICALLY RESERVED FOR A COURT AND (2) ISSUES RELATED TO THE SCOPE AND ENFORCEABILITY OF THE ARBITRATION PROVISIONS.

• TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, EACH PARTY MAY BRING CLAIMS AGAINST THE OTHER ONLY IN AN INDIVIDUAL CAPACITY, AND NOT PARTICIPATE AS A PLAINTIFF, CLAIMANT, OR CLASS MEMBER IN ANY CLASS, COLLECTIVE, CONSOLIDATED, PRIVATE ATTORNEY GENERAL, OR REPRESENTATIVE PROCEEDING.

• unless both PARTIES agree otherwise, an arbitrator may not consolidate more than one person’s claims and may not otherwise preside over any form of class, collective, consolidated, private attorney general, or representative proceeding. An arbitrator will apply these DISPUTE RESOLUTION Terms as a court would. If, after exhaustion of all appeals, any of these prohibitions on non-individualized injunctive or declaratory relief and class, collective, consolidated, private attorney general, or representative proceedings are found to be unenforceable with respect to a particular claim or request for relief (such as a request for public injunctive relief), then such a claim or request for relief will be decided by a court of competent jurisdiction after all other claims and requests for relief are arbitrated.

• TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE PARTIES WAIVE ANY RIGHT TO A JURY TRIAL.

• THIS AGREEMENT AND ANY DISPUTES ARISING HEREUNDER WILL BE GOVERNED BY THE LAWS OF THE STATE OF NEW YORK WITHOUT REGARD TO ITS PRINCIPLES OF CONFLICTS OF LAWS. TO THE FULLEST EXTENT PERMITTED BY APPLICABLE LAW, THE STATE AND FEDERAL COURTS OF NEW YORK COUNTY, NEW YORK SHALL HAVE EXCLUSIVE JURISDICTION OVER ANY DISPUTES (EXCEPT FOR DISPUTES BROUGHT IN SMALL CLAIMS COURT) THAT ARE NOT SUBJECT TO ARBITRATION OR OVER ANY ACTION INVOLVING THE APPLICABILITY OR ENFORCEABILITY OF ANY PROVISIONS OF THIS AGREEMENT (INCLUDING THE ARBITRATION PROVISIONS AND CLASS ACTION WAIVER) TO THE EXTENT ENFORCEABLE.

IF I DO NOT CONSENT TO THESE DISPUTE RESOLUTION PROVISIONS, I AGREE TO LEAVE OR NOT ENTER THE STADIUM.

5. Severability.  Except as otherwise provided in the MLS NEXT Pro Terms of Service (https://www.mlsnextpro.com/legal/terms-of-service), I agree that if any provision or part thereof contained in this Agreement is declared illegal, unenforceable, or ineffective, such provision or part thereof shall be modified, if possible, in order to achieve the intentions of the parties, and, if necessary, such provision or part thereof shall be deemed severable, such that all other provisions contained in this Agreement shall remain valid and binding.          

6. Term.  This Agreement is perpetual in nature and applies to all activities and events at the Stadium for which I am present for or participate in, and all claims arising therefrom, from the date of execution.

I HAVE CAREFULLY READ AND VOLUNTARILY ACCEPT THIS AGREEMENT; I understand its terms and I am aware of its legal consequences, including that I am hereby giving up substantial legal rights and that by agreeing to this Agreement, I will not be able to sue the Released Parties if I suffer any illness, injury, or death for any reason due to exposure to a Communicable Disease; and I understand that it is a material inducement for my admission to and continued presence at the Stadium and that the MLS NEXT Pro Parties and the other Released Parties are relying upon it; and, I further agree that no oral representations, statements, or inducements contrary to anything contained herein have been made by any of the MLS NEXT Pro Parties or other Released Parties.