Sports: Sports IP
Sports aren’t solely about what happens on the field, the court, or in the ring. What happens outside those arenas is just as crucial to the integrity of competitors and organizations.
The rapid expansion of the multibillion-dollar sports industry presents significant opportunities, but also corresponding risks and challenges. The sports market is highly popular and lucrative, making it all the more imperative that individual athletes, sports teams, and leagues effectively protect their brand and intellectual property (IP). Our global sports practice includes full-service IP lawyers that provide coordinated, multijurisdictional advice to our clients on a full spectrum of services, from procurement to litigation.
We help protect the brands of our sports clients by registering and enforcing their trademarks and patents worldwide. We also assist with copyright protection of everything from team logos to actual game footage. Our lawyers have handled litigation at every level, and have assisted clients with matters related to counterfeit or illegal products, merchandise, online websites, and broadcasts. We have assisted numerous sports clients with the selection of names for new teams in existing leagues as well as the selection of names for all the teams in new leagues. Confidential clearance of names, logos, colors, mascots, and uniform design is especially important in circumstances where the public is generally very interested in knowing these elements.
We have advised on some of the sports industry’s most significant projects involving many of the sector’s key operators, and provided guidance to the world’s leading sports events and personalities. In particular, we are highly regarded in the Australian sports market. We represent clients in Australia, Europe, and the United States, including the Australian Football League and the majority of its clubs, Cricket Australia, the Australian Grand Prix, FIFA, the National Basketball League, the International Olympic Committee, Manchester City, Formula 1 Racing, WWE, professional athletes, and various local leagues.
Our clients trust us to handle their matters all over the world. We understand the confluence of sports, IP, and entertainment, and approach legal challenges from all angles to provide our clients with innovative solutions. Our global presence and impact, specifically in Australia, Europe, and the United States, allows our sports IP team to assist our clients wherever they operate.
On 3 February 2025, the United States reached agreements with Canada and Mexico to pause tariffs on imports from those countries in exchange for actions on border security, illegal drugs, and immigration.
The Hon. Jim Chalmers MP, Federal Treasurer and the Hon. Clare O'Neil MP, Minister for Housing, Minister for Homelessness issued a joint media release on 16 February 2025 titled "Albanese Government clamping down on foreign purchase of established homes and land banking".
On 20 January 2025, President Trump issued an Executive Order declaring a National Energy Emergency.
Starting on 30 June 2024, with the application of the first of two introduction phases of the Regulation on Markets in Crypto-assets across all member states of the European Union, the EU has introduced for the first time a harmonized regulatory framework as well as accompanying passporting rights for service providers of the crypto-asset market, affecting both traditional institutions of the financial sector and new players emerging in the crypto-ecosystem.
