Protecting IP Rights in the Sports and Entertainment Industries

Description

Athletes, entertainers or media personalities often use IP rights to control the use of their image. Television, film studios and other content providers copyright their scripts; sports teams license their logos; individual athletes trademark their likeness and name. However, vigilant monitoring is needed to minimize the risk of infringement and protect their reputations.

Social media users are sharing, tweeting and posting a variety of IP, including celebrity pictures, videos and more, often without owner’s permission. Counsel must monitor and protect the IP from infringement but must also achieve a balance between pursuing claims and the marketing value of social media content.

Companies spend billions of dollars to have athletes and celebrities endorse their products. When negotiating endorsement and sponsorship agreements, counsel must understand and strategically construct provisions related to the scope of the agreement, exclusivity requirements, renewal and termination rights, and morals clauses.

Listen as our authoritative panel examines IP issues in sports and entertainment and what counsel needs to do to protect clients’ rights. In the era of social media sharing, the panel will address protecting and policing IP and reputational rights; rights of publicity; sponsorships and endorsements; and licensing issues.