25 key articles on trade marks in sports

Trade marks in the sports industry are becoming increasingly valuable and important. Below is a list of our key articles that address their application across a range of issues in sport, including the football industry, the Olympics, and the fight against counterfeits.

If there are any areas that we missed that you would like to know more about, please either leave a comment at the end of article, or email This email address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.

Olympic Sport

How to register an Olympic Logo – The story of Tokyo 2020
By Alex Kelham, Jackie Bolton
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/how-to-register-an-olympic-logo-the-story-of-tokyo-2020

Navigating Olympic advertising: Rule 40 – a global perspective
By Alex Kelham
https://www.lawinsport.com/features/item/navigating-olympic-advertising-rule-40-a-global-perspective

Brand protection, trademarks, and the event that shall not be named: Event-specific legislation and the Olympic Games
By Leonard Glickman, Evan Eliasona
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/intellectual-property-law/item/brand-protection-trademarks-and-the-event-that-shall-not-be-named-event-specific-legislation-and-the-olympic-games

A guide to rights protection at major sporting events: Part 1 – identify, prioritise and pre-empt risk
By Nandan Kamath, Roshan Gopalakrishna, and Nihal Zachariah
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/a-guide-to-rights-protection-at-major-sporting-events-part-1-identify-prioritise-and-pre-empt-risk

A guide to rights protection at major sporting events: part 2 – educate, monitor and enforce
By Nandan Kamath, Roshan Gopalakrishna, and Nihal Zachariah
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/a-guide-to-rights-protection-at-major-sporting-events-part-2-educate-monitor-and-enforce

Football

The importance of trade marks in football – controlling brand value & avoiding own goals
By Sean Corbett
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/the-importance-of-trade-marks-in-football-controlling-brand-value-avoiding-own-goals

Top of the league: How football clubs protect and exploit their brands in a global marketplace
By Rebecca O'Kelly-Gillard, Chris Lavey
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/top-of-the-league-how-football-clubs-protect-and-exploit-their-brands-in-a-global-marketplace

Why football players and managers should own their own trade marks
By Charles Maurice, Tom Collins
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/why-football-players-and-managers-should-own-their-own-trade-marks

The current legal status of image rights companies in football
By Pete Hackleton
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/intellectual-property-law/item/the-current-legal-status-of-image-rights-companies-in-football?category_id=124

Tennis

Trade marks for sport events - how Wimbledon secured their colour mark
By Zane Shihab, Manuela Macchi
https://www.lawinsport.com/features/podcast/item/trade-marks-for-sport-events-how-wimbledon-secured-their-colour-mark

Registering non-traditional trade marks in sports

Comparing how image rights laws apply to sport in the US, UK and Europe
By Luca Ferrari, Stella Riberti
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/comparing-how-image-rights-laws-apply-to-sport-in-the-us-uk-and-europe

Mark my words: protection of athletes’ nicknames & catchphrases in the U.S.
By Joy J. Wildes, Kevin S. Blum
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/mark-my-words-protection-of-athletes-nicknames-catchphrases-in-the-u-s

Non-traditional trade marks in sports – an EU perspective
By Manuela Macchi
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/non-traditional-trade-marks-in-sports-an-eu-perspective

Trade marks and social media

#OnlinePitfalls – Effective management of sports intellectual property rights on social media platforms
By Leonard Glickman, Michael Alvaro
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/intellectual-property-law/item/onlinepitfalls-effective-management-of-sports-intellectual-property-rights-on-social-media-platforms

Navigating social media in the US & UK: our top tips for athletes, executives and sponsors
By Alex Henderson, David Blood, and Danielle Moore Burton
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/navigating-social-media-in-the-us-uk-our-top-tips-for-athletes-executives-and-sponsors

Free speech vs. athletes’ right of publicity: The Supreme Court’s Madden NFL decision
By Frank W. Ryan, Melissa Reinckens, and Matthew Ganas
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/intellectual-property-law/item/free-speech-vs-athletes-right-of-publicity-the-supreme-court-s-madden-nfl-decision?category_id=124

Fighting counterfeiting in sports

Key tips for sports brands on tackling counterfeiting and grey goods
By Tom Collins
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/key-tips-for-sports-brands-on-tackling-counterfeiting-and-grey-goods

One of the world’s most lucrative industries – the trade in counterfeit sport goods
By Sean Corbett
https://www.lawinsport.com/features/item/one-of-the-world-s-most-lucrative-industries-the-trade-in-counterfeit-sport-go

How to deal with counterfeits in China
By Sean Corbett
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/how-to-deal-with-counterfeits-in-china

General reading on trade marks

An overview of ICANN’s gTLD Programme: what do sports brands need to consider to protect their brand?
By Sean Corbett
https://www.lawinsport.com/features/item/an-overview-of-icann-s-gtld-programme-what-do-sports-brands-need-to-consider-to-protect-their-brand

Trade marks in US sports: A review of the Vegas Golden Knights & Milwaukee Bucks applications
By Ryan Hilbert
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/trade-marks-in-us-sports-a-review-of-the-vegas-golden-knights-milwaukee-bucks-applications

Why the latest Jordan Qiaodan case leaves uncertainty about trademark protection in China
By Hongjun Yao
https://www.lawinsport.com/features/item/why-the-latest-jordan-qiaodan-case-leaves-uncertainty-about-trademark-protection-in-china

Protecting a new protective cricket helmet: an IP case study
By Leighton Cassidy, Beverley Potts
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/item/protecting-a-new-protective-cricket-helmet-an-ip-case-study

Trademarks in sports: an overview
By Leonard Glickman, Jonathan Sherman
https://www.lawinsport.com/articles/intellectual-property-law/item/trademarks-in-sports-an-overview

Best practice provisions and considerations for sports merchandising agreements
By Christopher Evans Katie Ellis
https://www.lawinsport.com/features/item/best-practice-provisions-and-considerations-for-sports-merchandising-agreements

• American Football China Counterfeiting Cricket Football Intellectual Property National Football League (NFL) Olympic Social Media Trademark United Kingdom (UK) United States of America (USA)