You land a new sponsorship and spend the weekend filming content. A photographer captures your best moments during a competition. Your sponsor records behind-the-scenes footage at a product launch. Weeks later, those same photos and videos appear in social media posts, advertising campaigns and event promotions.
At first glance, it may seem like you own every piece of content because you are the athlete in the frame. In reality, several people or businesses may have an interest in the same photo or video. Those interests are not always determined by who appears in the content.
When several people contribute to the same content
Action sports content rarely comes together through one person’s efforts. A single project may involve athletes, brands, photographers, videographers, event organizers and production teams. Each may play a different role in creating or using the finished work.
Because several parties may contribute to the same project, written agreements commonly define each party’s ownership and usage rights. Depending on the collaboration, an agreement may address:
- Which party owns the copyright to the finished content
- How a brand may use photos or videos for marketing
- How long the content may appear in commercial campaigns
- Who can edit or repurpose the content
- Whether another business may receive permission to use the content
These provisions establish expectations before photos or videos appear in advertising, sponsorship campaigns or other commercial projects.
Do athletes have rights in their own image?
Appearing in a photo or video does not automatically make you the copyright owner. In many cases, the photographer, videographer or another creator owns the copyright unless an agreement states otherwise.
That does not mean athletes have no legal interests in the work. Commercial use of an athlete’s name, image or likeness may involve separate rights from copyright ownership. Sponsorship, endorsement and licensing agreements commonly address both subjects because they affect different parts of a business relationship.
Content rights can continue long after the event ends
The value of photos, videos and other creative work does not always end with the competition or campaign where they first appeared. A photo from one event may appear in future advertising, while a video may become part of a brand’s marketing or another licensed project.
For that reason, ownership and usage rights can remain relevant long after filming wraps. Whether you are working with a sponsor, collaborating with a brand or creating content with a production team, several parties may have an interest in the same creative work. Clear agreements help define ownership and establish how that work may be used throughout the business relationship.