EVENT: On April 26th, we will celebrate the World IP Day 2026. World Intellectual Property Day 2026 celebrates how creativity and innovation, backed by IP rights, keep the world of sports thriving, dynamic and accessible for everyone, everywhere. This event will focus on the role of IP rights—including patents, trademarks, and copyrights—in encouraging innovation and creativity. Join the celebrations will honor the contributions of the creators, inventors and entrepreneurs working behind the scenes to push the boundaries of athletic performance, improve audience experience and bring sports events to every home. Register to participate!
You are invited to participate to the World IP Day Youth Video Competition entitled "Game Changers: IP powering Sports Innovation". Enter the World IP Day 2026 Youth Video Competition and unleash your creativity by showing how IP fuels innovation in the world of sports. Take part for a chance to win a top prize worth CHF 3,000.
Statement from the WIPO Director General for World IP Day 2026; April 26th.
We all love watching sports. The speed, the power, the drama, the extraordinary moments. But behind every record that's broken and every breathtaking play, there's something important that most fans never see. Innovation. Creativity. Intellectual property.
Lighter shoes. Stronger rackets. Safer helmets. Patents protect these innovations, encouraging research and investments in sports-related technology.
And then there's the identity of sports. Team logos, athletes' names and images. Trademarks help build the brands that power global sports marketing and that fans rally around.
Design rights protect the style of sports. From swimsuits to gym wear to tennis outfits.
And when the action reaches our screens through broadcast and social media, copyright protects the content that connects billions of fans worldwide.
And all of these extend to esports as well, a huge and growing industry.
That is why this year, World IP Day celebrates IP and sports. Because sports is more than just competition. It is a multi-trillion dollar industry creating jobs and opportunities for many people. But this means knowing how to protect, manage and grow the many IP assets that are now part of sports.
Intellectual property helps athletes push performance further, helps fans connect with their favorite team, and gives sporting companies the confidence to invest in new gear, new systems and new ideas. Intellectual property doesn't just change the game, it shapes it.
Ready, set, innovate.
WIPO Director General
The sports industry contributes to the world economy, creating jobs and developing public infrastructure.
From football to tennis to ice skating, in every sporting field, inventors and creators are working behind the scenes to push the boundaries of athletic performance, improve audience experience and bring sports events to every home. IP rights – and the legal protection they give – are the basis for key business transactions that secure the economic value of sports and push the industry forward. Thanks to steady industry growth, sporting organizations can finance high-profile sports events and promote sports development worldwide.
Several IP rights may protect a sports shoe:
Patents protect the technology used to develop the shoe
Designs protect the “look” of the shoe
Trademarks distinguish the shoe from similar products and protect the “reputation” of the shoe (and the company making it)
Copyright protects any artwork and audiovisual creations used to publicize the shoe
Combating illegal sports piracy to protect the athletes we love and to keep fans safe
IP in the sports business
Sports show intellectual property (IP) in action. Patents encourage technological advances that result in better sporting equipment. Trademarks, brands and designs contribute to the distinct identity of events, teams and their gear. Copyright-related rights generate the revenues needed for broadcasters to invest in the costly undertaking of broadcasting sports events to fans worldwide. IP rights are the basis of licensing and merchandising agreements that earn revenues to support the development of the sports industry.
A guide to the development of national strategies for sports and its development through IP.
From the sports shoe to the swimsuit and the tennis racket to the football, sports technologists have applied their ingenuity, creativity and expertise to develop better and safer equipment in the quest for sporting excellence.
Brands are critical for creating business value, and the sports business is no exception. Strong brands command customer loyalty and premium prices, constituting valuable assets that drive company revenue and growth.
The influence of design in the world of sport is far-reaching. Where image and aesthetics are involved, so too is design, and where new materials emerge, aesthetics or design soon follow.
Copyright and related rights, particularly those relating to broadcasting organizations, underpin the relationship between sports and television and other media.
By acquiring IP rights and using them strategically, sports organizations and other rights owners can protect and increase their income-generating potential.
What kind of IP-related disputes are common in the sports area, and how to resolve them.
PUBLICATIONS: Intellectual Property in Esports.
Using IP in competitive gaming
Across the world, competitive video gaming events have become a powerful reality, drawing millions of fans with esports generating US$1.8 billion in revenue in 2023. Intellectual property rights in esports allow different stakeholders—from video game publishers and brands to esports organizers, teams, and players—to protect and profit from their creative works and innovations.
Without IP protection, key players of the video game industry would struggle to monetize their contributions and make a living from esports, and in turn, fans and players would not enjoy their favorite video games. Understanding how IP rights function within the esports ecosystem is vital for contributors to this dynamic industry.
Esports IP right holders: In the esports ecosystem, different stakeholders participate and own IP rights, offering unique opportunities to form commercial relationships around and monetize work in this space. Some of these key right holders are listed below.
Video game developers and publishers’ rights
Behind the scenes, developers not only invest in maintaining video games and platforms but also in continuously creating new titles that engage players and fans around the world.
Video game developers and publishers are responsible for creating video games and therefore own the rights over the different game elements, including game code, visual elements, characters, storylines, music, game title, and logos. As rightsholders, they authorize the uses of video games in tournaments, as well as the use of the video game characters and trademarks in other products, advertisements, and events.
Esports players’ rights: Esports players are often frequent streamers with thousands of followers online. To commercially exploit their reputation and engage with their fanbase, professional players seek IP protection in addition to relying on their personality rights. The content streamed on their online channels, other types of brands and logos associated with them, and exclusive in-game or promotional items are some of the key ways players leverage their IP.
Esports teams’ rights: Similarly, esports teams develop their own IP portfolios, which may be combined with those of their rostered players depending on the terms of their agreements. Partnerships with brands, licensing of team and player identities, and hosting exclusive events are some of the ways this IP becomes essential for controlling how others associate with the team and its players.
Esports broadcasters’ rights :Esports competitions have expanded to television, but online streaming remains the primary way fans follow major tournaments. Broadcasting and streaming these events require licensing from the competition organizer, who must ensure they hold all necessary rights—including those from the video game publisher, teams, and players.
Platforms like Twitch, YouTube Gaming, and Facebook Gaming have revolutionized how esports content reaches audiences, offering infrastructure for live streaming, video-on-demand, and social engagement. These platforms operate under specific terms of service that cover copyright, monetization, and content restrictions. Understanding these platform-specific policies is essential to successfully distribute esports content.
Read the paper on the Video game rights!
Esports licensing:The competitive gaming ecosystem is fundamentally built on IP rights and the licensing agreements that govern their use. These contracts establish the legal framework through which tournament organizers, leagues, and players obtain permission from video game developers and publishers to host competitions, broadcast or stream gameplay, and use game assets. Video games are not only the result of “new” original content but may also include pre-existing content such as music, famous comic book characters, or even elements from movies that are licensed for inclusion. Examples include Blur’s Song 2, which became iconic in the FIFA EA Sports game launched in 1998, and the recent announcement of LEGO Batman: Legacy of the Dark Knight, a partnership between LEGO, Warner Bros., and TT Games Publishing.
Licenses for community tournaments and professional leagues: Small-scale and community tournament organizers must secure appropriate licenses from game publishers. Many publishers provide standardized agreements for non-commercial events, with specific guidelines on entry fees, prize pools, and sponsorship limitations. For professional esports leagues, more comprehensive licensing agreements are required. These cover key areas such as broadcasting rights, commercial exploitation, and revenue sharing. They often include exclusivity clauses, territorial restrictions, and terms for using game elements in promotional materials. Some publishers maintain strict control over professional competitions, often organizing top-tier events themselves. Even in these cases, separate licenses may still be required for elements like broadcasting and monetization, though their complexity may be reduced.
Read the WIPO guidelines for esports tournament organizers!
Media rights in esports: Broadcasting and distribution rights represent one of the most valuable commercial assets in the esports ecosystem. These IP rights govern how competitive gaming content is shared with audiences worldwide, determining who can stream or broadcast competitions, on which platforms, and under what conditions. As viewership continues to grow, media rights create new revenue opportunities for publishers, tournament organizers and teams.
Copyright in esports: The esports ecosystem generates an incredible volume of creative content beyond the games themselves. Esports players and teams produce streams, tutorials, highlight reels, and commentary that create new layers of copyrightable works, distinct from the underlaying game rights. This dynamic raises important considerations about copyright ownership and permissions, particularly in relation to when and how content creators can legally use game footage, artwork, or music in their productions. Legal frameworks for addressing these questions vary globally. Doctrines like fair use, fair dealing, or similar structures offer certain exceptions to copyright protection. These broader concepts or specific copyright exceptions may provide for the use of parody, criticism, commentary, and education. Specific legal frameworks for these doctrines vary in terms of the enumeration of exceptions—both exhaustive and non-exhaustive lists exist in various jurisdictions—and the procedures to be followed—some systems offer automatic protection, others require specific procedures to be followed. Beyond legal frameworks, content creators must navigate platform-specific contracts, policies and procedures, including takedown systems that provide mechanisms for addressing potential infringements. For esports teams and professionals, understanding these copyright boundaries and local regulations is crucial for developing content strategies that respect IP rights while maximizing creative and commercial opportunities.
Read How to make a living from video game rights!
Legislation on digital rights management for esports. The WIPO Copyright Treaty and the WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty (known together as the “Internet Treaties”), as well as other international, regional, and national regulations (including, for example, the Digital Millennium Copyright Act (DMCA) in the United States and the InfoSoc Directive in the European Union) establish frameworks that influence how digital rights are managed across borders in competitive gaming contexts. Understanding these copyright considerations is essential for players, teams and content creators looking to build sustainable careers in the esports space.
Read the WIPO ADR for video game and esports disputes!
Trademarks for esports players and teams: In the competitive gaming landscape, distinctive identifiers such as team names, logos, player nicknames or handles, and tournament brands represent valuable IP assets that can be protected through trademark registration. These protected elements establish recognition among fans and distinguish teams and players in a crowded marketplace.
By securing trademark rights, esports organizations create legal foundations for their brand identity, enabling merchandising opportunities and protecting against unauthorized uses. As the industry matures, forward-thinking teams and players increasingly recognize the importance of developing comprehensive branding strategies to support their long-term commercial growth. In an industry with substantial mobility and volatility, there are also considerations for high-profile players to clearly delineate their individual brand identities from those of the team, though trademark and likeness rights, in ways that support their team, but protect their long-term career prospects.
Esports sponsorship: Sponsorship represents a key revenue stream in the esports ecosystem, with brands providing financial support and resources to teams, players and tournament organizers in exchange for brand exposure to the gaming demographic. These partnerships depend on clear IP agreements that govern the use of trademarks, promotional activities and exclusivity provisions, along with rights to any content used to support sponsorships, such as music used within advertisements.
Esports merchandise: The sale of team and player branded merchandise, including apparel, gaming accessories and collectibles, creates significant revenue opportunities in esports. These product lines rely on proper trademark protection and licensing structures to maintain brand identity for game publishers, players, and teams, while maximizing commercial potential.
Read the WIPO Magazine articles about esports!
Gaming publishers’ content guidelines for esports tournaments: Video game publishers establish specific frameworks for how their IP can be used in competitive environments. These guidelines define the parameters within which tournament organizers must operate, covering critical aspects such as permitted uses of game assets, competitive formats, broadcasting arrangements, and sponsorship parameters. Many publishers make these guidelines publicly available on their websites, while others require direct contact to secure proper authorization. Understanding these policies is essential for creating events that respect IP rights while delivering engaging competitive experiences.
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