i Table of contents 277

Sports Law 2025

Definitive global law guides offering comparative analysis from top-ranked lawyers

INTRODUCTION		5
Contributed by Jamie Singer and Flora Peel, Onside Law		5
AUSTRALIA		10
Law and Practice		10
Contributed by Kalus Kenny Intelex		10
Trends and Developments		29
Contributed by Kalus Kenny Intelex		29
BELGIUM		35
Law and Practice		35
Contributed by ATFiELD		35
Trends and Developments		57
Contributed by ATFiELD		57
CANADA		63
Trends and Developments		63
Contributed by Soublière Sport Law		63
DENMARK		71
Law and Practice		71
Contributed by DAHL Law Firm		71
Trends and Developments		96
Contributed by DAHL Law Firm		96
INDIA		103
Trends and Developments		103
Contributed by Cyril Amarchand Mangaldas		103
IRELAND		111
Law and Practice		111
Contributed by The Bar of Ireland		111
Trends and Developments		123
Contributed by The Bar of Ireland		123
ITALY		125
Law and Practice		125
Contributed by LAWP Studio legale e tributario		125
Trends and Developments		147
Contributed by LAWP Studio legale e tributario		147
JAPAN		155
Law and Practice		155
Contributed by TMI Associates		155
Trends and Developments		172
Contributed by Nagashima Ohno & Tsunematsu		172
PHILIPPINES		178
Law and Practice		178
Contributed by The Law Firm of Ingles Laurel Calderon		178
Trends and Developments		190
Contributed by The Law Firm of Ingles Laurel Calderon		190
PORTUGAL		195
Trends and Developments		195
Contributed by Sérvulo & Associados		195
SWEDEN		203
Law and Practice		203
Contributed by Nordia Law		203
SWITZERLAND		217
Trends and Developments		217
Contributed by Bär & Karrer		217
UK		222
Law and Practice		222
Contributed by Onside Law		222
USA		251
Law and Practice		251
Contributed by Herrick, Feinstein LLP		251
1. Regulatory		12
1.1 Anti-Doping		12
1.2 Integrity		13
1.3 Betting		14
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		15
2. Commercial Rights		15
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		15
2.2 Sponsorship		16
2.3 Broadcasting		16
3. Sports Events		17
3.1 Relationships		17
3.2 Liability		17
4. Corporate		18
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		18
4.2 Corporate Governance		18
4.3 Funding of Sport		18
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		19
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		19
5.1 Trade Marks		19
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		20
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		20
5.4 Licensing		21
5.5 Sports Data		21
5.6 Data Protection		22
6. Dispute Resolution		22
6.1 National Court System		22
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		23
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		23
7. Employment		23
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		23
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		24
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		24
8. Women’s Sport		24
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		24
9. Esports		25
9.1 Esports Overview		25
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		26
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		26
10.2 AI		27
10.3 The Metaverse		27
1. Regulatory		37
1.1 Anti-Doping		37
1.2 Integrity		38
1.3 Betting		38
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		39
2. Commercial Rights		40
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		40
2.2 Sponsorship		41
2.3 Broadcasting		42
3. Sports Events		43
3.1 Relationships		43
3.2 Liability		44
4. Corporate		45
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		45
4.2 Corporate Governance		46
4.3 Funding of Sport		47
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		48
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		49
5.1 Trade Marks		49
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		50
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		51
5.4 Licensing		52
5.5 Sports Data		52
5.6 Data Protection		53
6. Dispute Resolution		54
6.1 National Court System		54
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		54
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		54
7. Employment		55
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		55
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		55
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		55
8. Women’s Sport		56
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		56
9. Esports		56
9.1 Esports Overview		56
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		56
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		56
10.2 AI		56
10.3 The Metaverse		56
1. Regulatory		74
1.1 Anti-Doping		74
1.2 Integrity		74
1.3 Betting		75
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		76
2. Commercial Rights		77
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		77
2.2 Sponsorship		78
2.3 Broadcasting		79
3. Sports Events		80
3.1 Relationships		80
3.2 Liability		81
4. Corporate		81
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		81
4.2 Corporate Governance		82
4.3 Funding of Sport		83
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		83
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		83
5.1 Trade Marks		83
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		84
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		85
5.4 Licensing		85
5.5 Sports Data		86
5.6 Data Protection		87
6. Dispute Resolution		88
6.1 National Court System		88
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		89
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		89
7. Employment		90
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		90
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		90
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		91
8. Women’s Sport		92
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		92
9. Esports		93
9.1 Esports Overview		93
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		93
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		93
10.2 AI		94
10.3 The Metaverse		95
1. Regulatory		113
1.1 Anti-Doping		113
1.2 Integrity		113
1.3 Betting		113
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		113
2. Commercial Rights		114
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		114
2.2 Sponsorship		114
2.3 Broadcasting		115
3. Sports Events		115
3.1 Relationships		115
3.2 Liability		115
4. Corporate		116
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		116
4.2 Corporate Governance		116
4.3 Funding of Sport		117
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		117
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		117
5.1 Trade Marks		117
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		118
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		118
5.4 Licensing		118
5.5 Sports Data		118
5.6 Data Protection		118
6. Dispute Resolution		118
6.1 National Court System		118
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		118
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		119
7. Employment		119
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		119
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		120
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		120
8. Women’s Sport		120
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		120
9. Esports		121
9.1 Esports Overview		121
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		121
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		121
10.2 AI		121
10.3 The Metaverse		122
1. Regulatory		127
1.1 Anti-Doping		127
1.2 Integrity		128
1.3 Betting		129
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		130
2. Commercial Rights		131
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		131
2.2 Sponsorship		131
2.3 Broadcasting		132
3. Sports Events		132
3.1 Relationships		132
3.2 Liability		133
4. Corporate		134
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		134
4.2 Corporate Governance		135
4.3 Funding of Sport		136
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		137
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		137
5.1 Trade Marks		137
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		138
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		138
5.4 Licensing		139
5.5 Sports Data		139
5.6 Data Protection		140
6. Dispute Resolution		140
6.1 National Court System		140
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		141
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		141
7. Employment		142
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		142
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		143
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		144
8. Women’s Sport		144
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		144
9. Esports		144
9.1 Esports Overview		144
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		145
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		145
10.2 AI		145
10.3 The Metaverse		146
1. Regulatory		158
1.1 Anti-Doping		158
1.2 Integrity		158
1.3 Betting		159
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		159
2. Commercial Rights		159
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		159
2.2 Sponsorship		160
2.3 Broadcasting		160
3. Sports Events		161
3.1 Relationships		161
3.2 Liability		161
4. Corporate		162
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		162
4.2 Corporate Governance		162
4.3 Funding of Sport		162
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		163
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		163
5.1 Trade Marks		163
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		164
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		164
5.4 Licensing		164
5.5 Sports Data		164
5.6 Data Protection		165
6. Dispute Resolution		165
6.1 National Court System		165
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		165
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		166
7. Employment		166
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		166
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		167
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		167
8. Women’s Sport		168
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		168
9. Esports		168
9.1 Esports Overview		168
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		169
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		169
10.2 AI		170
10.3 The Metaverse		170
1. Regulatory		180
1.1 Anti-Doping		180
1.2 Integrity		180
1.3 Betting		180
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		180
2. Commercial Rights		181
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		181
2.2 Sponsorship		181
2.3 Broadcasting		182
3. Sports Events		182
3.1 Relationships		182
3.2 Liability		183
4. Corporate		183
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		183
4.2 Corporate Governance		183
4.3 Funding of Sport		184
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		184
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		184
5.1 Trade Marks		184
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		185
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		185
5.4 Licensing		185
5.5 Sports Data		185
5.6 Data Protection		185
6. Dispute Resolution		186
6.1 National Court System		186
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		186
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		186
7. Employment		187
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		187
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		187
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		187
8. Women’s Sport		188
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		188
9. Esports		188
9.1 Esports Overview		188
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		189
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		189
10.2 AI		189
10.3 The Metaverse		189
1. Regulatory		205
1.1 Anti-Doping		205
1.2 Integrity		205
1.3 Betting		206
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		206
2. Commercial Rights		206
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		206
2.2 Sponsorship		207
2.3 Broadcasting		207
3. Sports Events		208
3.1 Relationships		208
3.2 Liability		208
4. Corporate		209
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		209
4.2 Corporate Governance		210
4.3 Funding of Sport		211
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		212
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		212
5.1 Trade Marks		212
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		212
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		213
5.4 Licensing		213
5.5 Sports Data		213
5.6 Data Protection		213
6. Dispute Resolution		213
6.1 National Court System		213
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		214
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		214
7. Employment		214
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		214
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		214
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		215
8. Women’s Sport		215
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		215
9. Esports		215
9.1 Esports Overview		215
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		216
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		216
10.2 AI		216
10.3 The Metaverse		216
1. Regulatory		224
1.1 Anti-Doping		224
1.2 Integrity		225
1.3 Betting		225
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		226
2. Commercial Rights		227
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		227
2.2 Sponsorship		228
2.3 Broadcasting		229
3. Sports Events		230
3.1 Relationships		230
3.2 Liability		230
4. Corporate		231
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		231
4.2 Corporate Governance		232
4.3 Funding of Sport		233
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		234
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		235
5.1 Trade Marks		235
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		236
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		237
5.4 Licensing		238
5.5 Sports Data		238
5.6 Data Protection		239
6. Dispute Resolution		240
6.1 National Court System		240
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		241
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		241
7. Employment		242
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		242
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		244
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		244
8. Women’s Sport		245
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		245
9. Esports		246
9.1 Esports Overview		246
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		247
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		247
10.2 AI		248
10.3 The Metaverse		249
1. Regulatory		254
1.1 Anti-Doping		254
1.2 Integrity		255
1.3 Betting		256
1.4 Disciplinary Proceedings		256
2. Commercial Rights		257
2.1 Available Sports-Related Rights		257
2.2 Sponsorship		257
2.3 Broadcasting		258
3. Sports Events		259
3.1 Relationships		259
3.2 Liability		259
4. Corporate		261
4.1 Legal Sporting Structures		261
4.2 Corporate Governance		261
4.3 Funding of Sport		262
4.4 Recent Deals/Trends		262
5. Intellectual Property, Data and Data Protection		263
5.1 Trade Marks		263
5.2 Copyright/Database Rights		263
5.3 Image Rights and Other IP		264
5.4 Licensing		265
5.5 Sports Data		265
5.6 Data Protection		266
6. Dispute Resolution		266
6.1 National Court System		266
6.2 ADR (Including Arbitration)		267
6.3 Challenging Sports Governing Bodies		267
7. Employment		268
7.1 Sports-Related Employment Contracts		268
7.2 Employer/Employee Rights		269
7.3 Free Movement of Athletes		271
8. Women’s Sport		272
8.1 Women’s Sport Overview		272
9. Esports		273
9.1 Esports Overview		273
10. NFTs, AI and the Metaverse		274
10.1 Non-Fungible Tokens (NFTs)		274
10.2 AI		275
10.3 The Metaverse		277

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