Rugby, Rights and Revenues

• Author: Jonathan Taylor
• Position: Legal Counsel of Six Nations Rugby Limited (SNRL), Bird & Bird LLP, UK
• Pages: 2-5

2012 / 1p–2 / Sport & IP

This is the rst in a ser ies that explores the inte rface be-

tween intellectual property (IP) and sport. In the aftermath

of the 2011 Rugby World Cup, and with the 2012 RBS Six

Nations Championship being played out in February and

March this year, WIPO Magazine kicks off with this view

from inside the Six Nations Rugby Championship of how

IP helps safeguar d the commercial value o f rugby.

The RBS Six Nations Championship is rugby union’s showpiece

event in the northern hemisphere and generates considerable

commercial revenues that underwrite the development efforts

of each participating union. IP laws protect the commercial

value that SNRL and its shareholder unions have created in

the Championship, and they provide a robust and effective

mechanism for combating online piracy of the Championship’s

ofcial broadcast coverage. Without effective IP laws rugby

union’s efforts to grow will be stymied, and its clear public

interest benets – in terms of deliver ing top-quality spor ts

coverage and promoting health, social inclusion, and racial

and gender equalit y – will be compromised.

RUGBY UNION AND THE PUBLIC INTEREST

Rugby union is played in over 100 countries, across the ve

continents. The recent incl usion of 7-a-side rugby as an Olym-

pic sport promises to fuel further interest in it. The traditional

rugby powerhouses in the northern hemisphere are England,

France, Ireland, Italy, Scotland and Wales (collectivel y known as

the Six Nations), and in the southern hemi sphere, Australia, New

Zealand and South Afric a. Popular demand for the sp ort and,

therefore, its commercial value are gre atest in these countries.

In addition to regulating and protecting the integr ity of the

sport, rugby union’s governing bodies (or unions) organize and

stage international matches, tours an d tournaments involving

their respective national tea ms. They sell the rights to these

events (principally broadcasting and sponsorship rights) to

generate commercial revenue. The prime objective of the

unions, however, is to act as custodians of the sport, so that

it expands and develops at all levels. Any revenue generated

over and above the staging costs is re-invested in the sport,

both to improve it at the professional level and to provide fa cili-

ties and coaching opportunities at the community level. Such

investment at the grass roots enabl es amateur players to enjoy

the health, recreational and social benets of the game and

facilitates the identication and development of new talent to

join the professional elite.

RUGBY,

Rights and Revenues

England ’s Chris Ashton ru ns for the try li ne in

a match agai nst Wales in the 2011 Tournament

Scotland vs I reland, 2011 Tournament

Ireland vs En gland, 2010 Tournament

   ›››

by Jonathan Taylor, Legal Counsel

of Six Nations R ugby Limited (SNRL),

Bird & Bird LLP, UK

Photo: Getty Imag esPhoto: Getty Imag es