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.
The year 2025 saw significant regulatory activity in the realm of digital assets. The US Congress and financial regulators took steps to create and implement a clear legal framework to facilitate financial transactions using digital assets, and they will continue to do so in 2026.
Artificial intelligence regulation and litigation are set to take center stage in 2026, as new laws, guidance, and enforcement priorities are introduced at the federal and state levels.
In this article, Dr. Jan Boeing and Arnaud Dobelle outline the key milestones of the new regulatory framework, its interplay with financial sector rules such as DORA and PSD2, and what the upcoming Digital Omnibus proposal means for organisations deploying AI in Europe.
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