World IP Day Focuses on Sports and Athletes
The global importance of IP is recognized annually on World Intellectual Property Day. The theme for the April 26, 2026, day is “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate.” As the U.S. is not only celebrating its 250th Anniversary but also hosting the World Cup, it must be emphasized that IP is the only property right that is protected under the Constitution.
The General Welfare Clause, Article 1, Section 8, states: “To promote the Progress of Science and useful Arts, by securing for limited Times to Authors and Inventors the exclusive Right to their respective Writings and Discoveries.”
Few people realize that nearly everything they buy is the result of someone else’s idea, and that these innovations and products are protected by IP. They are also unlikely to know the significant value of IP to the economy and the opportunities that IP-intensive industries provide for tens of millions of Americans, or what those industries might be.
Indeed, a good example of an industry that is reliant on IP in ways that may not be obvious to observers is sports. Sports teams have licensing agreements to sell their products directly or on websites sanctioned by their respective leagues, like the NFL or NHL shops and Fanatics. They also protect their IP by giving permission to broadcast their games over the airwaves. For athletes, IP plays a strong role in the development of new clothing, equipment, and shoe wear.
The protection of IP rights also helps to prevent copyright infringement for brands and trademarks and stopping counterfeits from being sold across all sports. Major events like the Super Bowl, World Cup, and World Series are the biggest targets for counterfeiters and require a stronger enforcement effort to protect the participants’ IP.
On World IP Day, the U.S. and other countries that value IP must ensure that the ideas and products from IP-intensive industries are protected by enforceable and consistent laws. Protecting IP will ensure that athletes and teams will continue to thrive while fans can root for their favorites and taxpayers can be protected.
