Copyright is the biggest team sport of all. A thriving creative ecosystem requires every player to work in tandem to incentivize, create, and protect the works that shape culture. It’s with this spirit in mind that WIPO designated April 26 – the anniversary of the WIPO convention – as World IP day. Now celebrating its 26th anniversary, this initiative aims to build global understanding of the importance of IP to a flourishing arts and innovation economy.
Each year, WIPO selects a theme to spotlight a key aspect of the ecosystem. This year’s theme is IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate – a fitting parameter in North America as we prepare to host the 2026 World Cup and the 2028 Summer Olympics.
IP touches every corner of sports. From a patent on the design of a golf club, to a trademark for an NFL team, to the copyrights that protect broadcasts and sports-related video games that let fans enjoy engaging with their favorite sports and teams from anywhere in the world – it’s all IP. IIPA and the broader creative community have a particular stake in the copyrights that underpin the relationship between sports and television.
Think about how fans are able to watch a sporting event from home or a sports bar. Media organizations pay enormous sums to sports leagues for the exclusive right to broadcast their events. These deals – always the result of private contractual negotiations – look different in every case. For example, the Olympics in the United States have long been broadcast by NBCUniversal pursuant to a longstanding rights agreement, while the NFL has agreements in place that rotate the Superbowl broadcast rights among CBS, Fox, NBC, and ABC. Broadcasting rights are typically the largest source of revenue for major sports organizations.
Under these contractual arrangements, sports leagues license certain exclusive rights. For example, the media organization receives the exclusive right to broadcast that event. This means that any unauthorized transmission is illegal. Under the Berne Convention and the WTO TRIPS Agreement, these broadcasting rights must be respected in every member country.
Beyond this foundation, the WIPO Copyright Treaty and WIPO Performances and Phonograms Treaty — collectively known as the WIPO Internet Treaties — extend these protections to account for the digital environment. The treaties entered into force as the digital age was dawning and revenue from internet streams was becoming increasingly important for sports leagues and broadcasters alike. These protections took the form of commitments to provide robust legal safeguards — such as for technological protection measures (TPMs) — to address new methods of piracy. Though more than 100 countries have ratified or acceded to both treaties, several have yet to fully implement these critical protections.
Piracy hurts everyone. The harm caused by piracy of sports broadcasts in many ways mirrors the harm caused by piracy of other forms of creative content. When third parties illegally stream a broadcast, the financial damage is significant. According to one study, approximately USD 28 billion is lost globally to piracy each year. Sports organizations lose out on a portion of their largest revenue stream, leaving less funding to support athletes. Broadcasters lose return on their costly investments. Fans who turn to illegal streams aren’t just breaking the law – many of those sites and apps carry malware that can steal personal information, hold devices for ransom, or infect entire home networks. Criminal organizations are often behind commercial-scale piracy of sports broadcasts, which further harms the public as the proceeds fund criminal activity.
The stakes are even higher as the World Cup approaches. The 2022 World Cup saw an explosion of pirate streams that, despite FIFA’s extensive anti-piracy measures, persisted and affected revenue. In Asia, two major broadcasters struggled to recoup the cost of their rights. FIFA will undoubtedly redouble its efforts in 2026, but education is just as critical as enforcement. Many fans engage in illegal streaming without any awareness of the risks – or in some cases even the illegality of their actions.
Sports have always been a unifying force. A reason to align with strangers. Piracy chips away at that bond, harming athletes, broadcasters, and fans alike. As World Cup season approaches, IIPA encourages every fan to think before streaming illegally. When you bypass the official broadcast, you’re not just putting yourself at risk – you’re hurting your team and the sport you love.
Happy World IP Day!