Sports Data & Media Accreditation
Couchmans is the pre-eminent sports data practice. Our lawyers work with a number of governing bodies and rights holders to develop data collection, licensing and enforcement schemes and implement press and photographer accreditation programmes.
We also advise on related and complementary areas, including data protection and enforcement, sports betting, virtual animation, ground regulations and ticket conditions.
Recent experience includes:
- Assisting a renowned data collation and exploitation entity on successful tender process for the collection, storage and exploitation of data for a premium football property
- Undertaking a comprehensive review and analysis of data rights for a rugby governing body
- Advising an international federation on the establishment of a data collection and licensing scheme
- Advising a world governing body in connection with the tender of its official data rights
- Advising major football and rugby rights holders in connection with their photographers / journalist accreditation schemes
Contact: Steven Burton
Betting & Gaming
Our close relationships with a number of high profile governing bodies, clubs and gambling operators ensure that we keep our finger on the pulse of current issues affecting the gambling sector.
We assist sports governing bodies and other rights holders in developing and operating bespoke approaches to the unique opportunities and threats created by sports betting. Our expert lawyers also help gambling operators to maximise the opportunities presented by changes in gambling regulations and developments in interactive technologies whilst ensuring compliance with regulatory requirements.
Recent experience includes:
- Devising commercial strategies for sports governing bodies (particularly in football, horseracing and rugby) to work with bookmakers, whether through licensing data, charging a levy or operating own-brand bookmaking services in partnership
- Advising a major European governing body on an extensive review of its gambling policies
- An extensive review of European betting markets and legislation and types of betting for five sports government bodies; advising on their gambling strategies and integrity issues
- Drafting and implementing a Code of Conduct between a number of football leagues and bookmakers to ensure "safe betting" and the exchange of information on "unusual betting patterns"
- Drafting and negotiating numerous "memoranda of understanding" on behalf of sports governing bodies
- Working with political lobbists and the drafting of submissions to the policy makers concerning proposed changes to UK and EU legislation concerning gambling
- Drafting amendments to the proposed French online betting legislation
- Undertaking litigation against unlicensed betting operators in numerous jurisdictions throughout the world including Austria, Sweden, Denmark, Greece, Mauritius and Israel
- Advising bookmakers and media owners in relation to gambling advertising and promotional campaigns (including pan-European and online campaigns)
- Advising a UK broadcaster on gambling advertisements and sponsorship, prize competitions and compliance issues
Contact: Steven Burton