UK Law and Practice Contributed by: Alistair McHenry, Sofia Antipatis and Rebecca Dods, Tyr
ing NGBs, leagues, clubs, event organisers and indi - vidual athletes, all generate significant income through image rights, merchandising, hospitality, ticketing and control of secondary markets. Merchandising Merchandising remains a major revenue stream. Rights holders licence their brands to manufactur - ers and retailers, typically through upfront fees and royalties. While merchandising historically centred on stadium shops and high street retail, the shift to digital commerce (eg, through club websites, apps, livestream shopping and social media storefronts) has globalised sales. This expansion requires stronger IP enforcement and consumer law compliance, particu - larly when selling internationally or directly to consum - ers. Hospitality Hospitality is central to sports venue strategy, with modern facilities offering premium, multi-experience environments. Edgbaston’s redevelopment, includ - ing a Radisson Red hotel with pitch-facing hospitality rooms, and the Rugby Football Union (RFU)’s plans to modernise Twickenham, reflect a sector-wide shift towards venue-controlled, high-yield experiences over third-party models. Ticketing Ticketing remains a core revenue source, particu - larly where demand exceeds supply. Rights-holders increasingly use dynamic pricing, membership tiers, loyalty programmes and bundled hospitality to balance accessibility with commercial returns. Deloitte’s Foot - ball Money League 2026 observed that the 2024/2025 football season set yet another record, with the top 20 clubs generating EUR12 billion in combined revenue for the first time. Secondary Ticketing and Enforcement Secondary ticketing presents ongoing challenges around affordability, fairness and safety. Regulators and rights-holders rely on venue terms, contrac - tual restrictions and legislation to curb unauthorised resale. Key legislation includes:
• Consumer Rights Act 2015 – this requires resale platforms to disclose seat details, helping organis - ers trace illicit sales. • Digital Markets, Competition and Consumers Act 2024 – this empowers the Competition and Mar - kets Authority (CMA) to issue penalties of up to 10% of global turnover. • Digital Economy Act 2017 – this criminalises ticket- buying bots and mandates transparency through unique ticket numbers. In 2025, the UK government moved to ban above face-value resale, strengthening consumer protection, while Premier League clubs intensified anti-touting efforts, with Liverpool FC announcing in late 2025 the shutdown of 145,000 accounts in its ongoing crack - down. 2.2 Sponsorship Terms Sponsorship in the UK Sponsorship remains one of the most influential com - mercial drivers in UK sport, giving brands access to large, highly engaged audiences. Companies use sport to boost visibility through kit branding, perimeter advertising, digital content integration and hospital - ity, while increasingly leveraging first-party fan data (where permitted) for targeted marketing and perfor - mance measurement. High-profile examples include Amazon integrating its Prime Video platform into Premier League broadcasts and Sky’s multi-year partnership with Guild Esports, which includes naming rights and extensive digital exposure. These deals reflect how sponsors now view sport as a hybrid physical digital ecosystem offering deep audience engagement. Rights-holders attract investment by offering bundled packages combining physical visibility, digital assets, community initiatives and exclusive access, often aligned with themes such as sustainability, diversity and grassroots development. Key Terms in UK Sponsorship Agreements Although sponsorship agreements vary significantly depending on the sport, the parties involved and the rights being purchased, some themes appear regu - larly:
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