World Intellectual Property Day

From football to tennis to ice skating, in every sporting field, inventors and creators are working behind the scenes to push the boundaries of athletic performance, improve audience experience and bring sports events to every home.  IP rights – and the legal protection they give – are the basis for key business transactions that secure the economic value of sports and push the industry forward. Thanks to steady industry growth, sporting organizations can finance high-profile sports events and promote sports development worldwide. The sports industry also contributes to the world economy, creating jobs and developing public infrastructure. Learn more

Sports show intellectual property (IP) in action. Patents encourage technological advances that result in better sporting equipment. Trademarks, brands and designs contribute to the distinct identity of events, teams and their gear. Copyright-related rights generate the revenues needed for broadcasters to invest in the costly undertaking of broadcasting sports events to fans worldwide. IP rights are the basis of licensing and merchandising agreements that earn revenues to support the development of the sports industry. PUBLICATION:  Reference Guide to Sustaining Sport and its Development through IP Rights A guide to the development of national strategies for sports and its development through IP. Read the full publication.

Combatting illegal sports piracy to protect the athletes we love and to keep fans safe.  About Tackling Illegal Sports Streams

The competitive gaming ecosystem is fundamentally built on IP rights and the licensing agreements that govern their use. These contracts establish the legal framework through which tournament organizers, leagues, and players obtain permission from video game developers and publishers to host competitions, broadcast or stream gameplay, and use game assets. Video games are not only the result of “new” original content but may also include pre-existing content such as music, famous comic book characters, or even elements from movies that are licensed for inclusion. Examples include Blur’s Song 2, which became iconic in the FIFA EA Sports game launched in 1998, and the recent announcement of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, a partnership between LEGO, Warner Bros., and TT Games Publishing. Licenses for community tournaments and professional leagues Small-scale and community tournament organizers must secure appropriate licenses from game publishers. Many publishers provide standar...