DENMARK Law and Practice Contributed by: Frederik Bruhn, Tim Krarup Nielsen, Robert Jønsson and Rasmus Theis Madsen, DAHL Law Firm
3. Sports Events 3.1 Relationships Proprietary Rights and Event Protection The legal protection of sports events in Den - mark is based on general legal principles rather than specific statutory provisions. The Dan - ish Supreme Court has established that event organisers can restrict others from commercial exploitation of their events, particularly in con - trolled environments such as stadiums. The rul - ing emphasised that football matches are pri - vate events, allowing the organiser (club or club associations) to restrict and regulate access and the dissemination of match-related information, such as live scores. The scope of the event protection has been fur - ther defined in the so-called Bold.dk case, where it is stated that once match information has been lawfully public, the event organiser cannot pre - vent third parties from further disseminating it. Control Over Event Rights Sports event organisers control rights primarily through: • Access Regulation: Organisers control venue entry and can impose conditions on ticket holders, media, and commercial partners. • Broadcasting and Media Rights: Exclusive broadcasting agreements allow rights-holders to commercialise event coverage while limit - ing unauthorised use of footage. • Sponsorship and Advertising Restrictions: Federations impose regulations on brand - ing, advertising, and promotional activities to protect commercial agreements. A notable example of strict enforcement occurred in 2012 when Danish footballer Nicklas Bendtner was fined EUR100,000 and suspended for dis -
playing unauthorised branding on his underwear during a UEFA European Championship match. Organisation and Management of Sports Events Sports events in Denmark are typically gov - erned by national federations under the National Olympic Committee and DIF. Federations have regulatory authority to organise tournaments, set participation rules, and enforce commercial policies. Clubs are responsible for staging indi - vidual matches but must comply with federa - tion-imposed regulations. In Danish football, the Superligaen A/S-model sets out a shared ownership of commercial rights, where clubs collectively manage the com - mercial aspects of the Danish Superliga. Limitations on Commercial Exploitation Federations impose strict regulations on how clubs and athletes can monetise sports events. For example: • The Danish Handball Federation regulates advertising on player kits through its Liga Regulations. • The DBU enforces sponsorship rules via its sponsorship circular in Danish football. • UEFA retains all commercial rights for tourna - ments such as the Champions League and the European Championship, limiting club and national team branding opportunities. A key issue in sports event commercialisation is the redistribution of broadcasting and spon - sorship revenue. While UEFA retains control over Champions League advertising rights, par - ticipating clubs receive financial compensation through participation fees and performance- based bonuses.
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