BELGIUM Law and Practice Contributed by: Sven Demeulemeester, Willem-Alexander Devlies and Daan Buylaert, ATFiELD
Broadcasting and media rights Event organisers license broadcasting rights to TV channels and streaming platforms, ensuring exclusive coverage. Unauthorised recording and distribution of event footage can be legally chal - lenged under copyright law. Sponsorship and commercial rights Organisers enter into agreements with sponsors, granting them exclusive commercial privileges related to the event. Merchandising and ticketing Official merchandise and ticketing rights help prevent unauthorised sales and counterfeiting. Control of Rights at Sports Events Sports event organisers in Belgium regulate access and control rights through several mech - anisms. Venue access regulations Organisers impose ticketing terms and condi - tions to regulate entry and restrict unauthorised commercial activities within the venue. Filming and photography restrictions Accredited media organisations are given exclu - sive rights to obtain footage, while unauthorised recordings can be restricted and legally chal - lenged. Security and stewarding measures Security personnel enforce event policies, ensuring compliance with access and commer - cial restrictions. Applicable Belgian Legislation Several legal frameworks apply to sports events in Belgium.
radio coverage for the next five years. With the granting of these media rights, the Pro League has secured at least EUR84 million in revenue per season from DAZN, VRT and RTBF for the next five years. On top of that, the Pro League is entitled to a share of DAZN’s additional revenue. However, this is a significant drop, as the previ - ous five-year deal was worth EUR103 million. UEFA Champions League rights Belgian broadcasters, such as RTL and VTM, secured exclusive and non-exclusive rights to air European club competitions, attracting large audiences. Licensing, Venue Access and Intellectual Property Rights Broadcasters negotiate agreements with venue owners and event organisers for access to sta - diums and arenas. These agreements include logistical arrangements for camera placements, commentary booths and technical support. Sports broadcasts are protected by copyright law in Belgium, granting exclusive rights to licensed broadcasters. Unauthorised streaming and piracy are actively monitored and prosecut - ed by rights-holders and regulatory bodies.
3. Sports Events 3.1 Relationships Proprietary Rights in Sports Events
In Belgium, sports event organisers do not have an automatic proprietary right over the event itself. However, they can control aspects of the event through contractual agreements, intel - lectual property rights, and venue regulations. Organisers typically claim rights over the follow - ing.
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