In 2024, Europe is in the epicenter of sports events. From the European championship in football, through Tour de France, it goes all the way to Olympic and Paralympics games. The key expectation of players and those enjoying sport is fair play.
Do we play fair, when it concerns watching sports events and buying sports equipment?
According to the EUIPO expectations, millions of EU citizens watch sports events from illegal sources, that is 12% of citizens. Only from counterfeited sports equipment, not counting sports clothes and footwear, the producers loose 850 million euros per year or 11% of sales. Look here for the results of examination.
Behind sports events, there are intellectual property rights, whose charging, for IP use, secures funds for the organization of sports events, media visibility, manufacturing of sports equipment and clothes, and above everything, support to sportsmen and sports as such. Except when it concerns the rights for the broadcasting of sports events, intellectual property is present also in the case of the famous Olympic circles, names and images of sportsmen, sports equipment of the contesters, mascots and souvenirs.
Although it seems that the watching of transmissions of sports events from illegal sources represents a crime that does nobody any harm, the truth is different. As the EUIPO indicates, the illegal transmission of sports events represents existential problem for the financing of sport.
The president of the Commission of Sportsmen of the International Olympic Committee, Emma Terho, warned during the conference in the EUIPO:
“When the cheering audience illegally streams sports events live, the entire mechanism of the financing of the Olympic movement, relying on solidarity, is in jeopardy. Media rights shall lose value, making them useless.”
In the expectation of the Olympic games, European Football Championship, Tour De France and all other European, but also world sports events, let us remember that also all of us cheering and watching can play fair.
Watch fair, buy fair, play fair!
Have a look at the video: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TIY6ynWH4JA