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Broadcast Rights and Media Issues

Learn about broadcast rights and whether professional sports broadcasts are copyrightable under the Copyright Act.

Transcript

Unlike material goods, the product of sport is produced and consumed simultaneously. However, sports venues have a limited capacity, so only a small percentage of a team’s fans can watch a game in person. As a result of the unique nature of sports, the greatest value in sports comes from the right to broadcast information about the sporting event while the event is occurring.

I. History of Sports Broadcast Rights

In the 1930s, the Pittsburgh Pirates entered into a contract that gave General...

Lessons

    • 1. Welcome
    2. Amateur Sports
    • The Employment Question and Unionization
    • Collegiate Collective Bargaining
    • The Scholarship Contract
    • Name, Image, and Likeness
    • Evolving Name, Image, and Likeness Laws
    • The Amateurism Model
    • Institutional Duty of Care
    • Ramifications of Amateur Athletes as Employees
    3. Amateur Sports Associations
    • Public and Private Sports Associations
    • Collegiate Athletic Associations
    • Olympic Athletic Associations
    • United States Olympic and Paralympic Committee
    4. Eligibility, Health, and Gender Issues
    • Eligibility Issues in Amateur Sports
    • Concussion Protocols
    • Anti-Doping Agencies
    • Drug Testing in High School and Collegiate Sports
    • Disability Issues in Sports
    • Sex Discrimination and Title IX
    5. Sports and Antitrust Laws
    • Sherman Antitrust Act
    • Amateur Association Antitrust Caselaw
    • Antitrust Issues in Professional Sports
    • Baseball’s Exemption from Antitrust Laws
    • Rival Leagues
    • Franchise Relocation and Expansion
    6. Unique Issues in Professional Sports
    • Collectively Owned Leagues
    • Ramifications of Collective Ownership
    • Role of the Commissioner
    • Professional Sports Facilities
    • Broadcast Rights and Media Issues
    • Collective Bargaining
    • Agents and Athletes
    7. Other Legal Issues in Sports
    • Criminal and Civil Liability in Sports
    • Intellectual Property in Professional and Amateur Sports
    • Venue Liability
    • Products Liability