Broadcasting rights and Sport: Adding value
| Author | Rafael Ferraz Vazquez |
| Position | Intellectual Property Lawyer |
| Pages | 19-21 |
p. 19WIPO | MAGAZINE
Without broadcast technology, many sports fans around the
world would not be able to share in the excitement of m ajor
sporting events. Broadcasting technologies have transformed
the spectator experience, mak ing the many thrilling per for-
mances featured in top-tier spor ting events available on multiple
platforms and in multiple formats.
The Olympic Game s were rst televised in Berl in in 1936 and
broadcast to an estimated 162,000 people using just three
cameras, only one of whic h was capable of live transmis sion.
Zeppelins were used to ferr y news reels around Europe. Just
over 75 years later, thanks to major advances in broadcast
technology, an estimated 4.8 billion viewers were abl e to tune
into seamless coverage of the 2012 London Olympic Game s
in high denition and 3-D for mats, along with a dazzl ing array
of angles, effects and tools to view a nd review every detail of
the event.
The sale of broadcasting and m edia rights has become a
key income stream in the busines s of sport. The sector has
benetted in multiple ways from the huge injection of nancial
resources derived fro m the sale of these rights. It has cre ated
opportunities to nurture the potential of talented athletes and
to boost the long-term nancial viab ility and perfor mance of
teams that are then better place d to attract the best athletes.
Such is the importanc e of broadcast revenue that some sports
have sought to attract broadcasters an d viewers by adapting
their rules. For example, volleyball has adopted a new scoring
system that makes it easier to predict th e duration of matches.
Similarly, the tie break was introduced in tenni s matches, along
with yellow tennis balls to make it easie r for viewers to follow
matches on television.
MEDIA REVENUE OVERTAKES TICKET SALES
Broadcasting and media r ights sales income already surpass es
ticket sales as a primar y source of revenue in most sports. Many
clubs, including, for example, Spain’s premier soccer team,
Real Madrid C.F., have experienced a shift away from ticket
sales toward sponsorship and television rights as principal
revenue sources. In the 2011/2012 season, the club received
over 512 million euros (some US$664 mi llion) in revenue from
the sale of broadcasting rights.
BROA DCASTING
RIGHTS AND SPORT
Add ing Value By Rafael Ferra z Vazquez,
Intellectu al Property Law yer
Photo: istockphoto @ L aura Young
e sale of broadca sting and med ia rights is a key
income strea m in the business of spor t.
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