Deepfakes and sports stars: the legal toolkit to protect image, brand and likeness
We live in an increasingly online world. Online videos and images have a real impact, influencing everything from what people buy to who they support. Recently, generative AI has…
FIFA’s World Cup tech revolution – and the IP behind the scenes
The 2026 FIFA World Cup is the largest and most technologically advanced tournament ever staged. However, alongside the…
Athlete Brand Ambassadors: Do's And Don'ts for Sponsors & Brands
Brands and sports stars have benefitted from lucrative collaborations for decades; they provide significant opportuniti…
Cold Palmer: Trade Marks, Image Rights, and the Business of Being an Athlete
When England midfielder Cole Palmer first folded his arms in his now-iconic ‘shivering’ celebration, it may have seemed…
DotBrand Kicks Off: The Window Opens to a New Era for Sports Identity Online
In 2012, ICANN opened what many considered a once‑in‑a‑lifetime transfer window for organisations to secure their own e…
Owning the Numbers: India’s New Legal Framework for Athlete Data Control (Part 1)
This two part article examines the extent to which Indian sportspersons can assert legal control over their performance…
Owning the Numbers: Practical Levers, Disputes and the Road to CAS (Part 2)
In Part 1 of this article (available here), the author explained the legal architecture governing athlete data in India…
A Guide To How Trade Marks Work In Formula One®
In the UK, a trade mark can be protected if it is capable of distinguishing the specific goods/services covered from th…
Personality Rights in Football: What UK Law Protects (and What It Doesn't)
It would be strange not to ‘showcase’ my eccentric personality in a blog on personality rights and so this will, in my…
Sport's Intangible Assets: From Amateur Clubs to Investable Asset Classes (Part 3)
This is the third article in a four-part series by Stephen Townley, a sports lawyer with nearly 50 years' experience ad…
Sport's Intangible Assets: Ten Key Trends and Challenges Ahead (Part 4)
This is the final article in a four-part series by Stephen Townley, a sports lawyer with nearly 50 years' experience ad…
Sport's Intangible Assets: Why 80% of Sport's Value Is Now Invisible (Part 2)
In this four-part series, Stephen Townley, a sports lawyer with nearly 50 years' experience advising organisations incl…
