For sports organisations, fans are consumers too — and every ticket, membership, shirt and stream sold or advertised to them is a regulated consumer interaction. As more of that relationship moves online and direct to consumer, the exposure to consumer law grows, and getting it wrong carries real financial and reputational risk.
Our lawyers know the business of sport, advising clubs, federations, governing bodies, event organisers and other rightsholders on the commercial and regulatory issues that shape the industry. We understand consumer law as it applies to sport, and we know how sports organisations engage with their supporters, from matchday to merchandise to membership. That means practical, commercial advice that protects the relationship with fans and manages risk.
Examples of how we help sports organisations
Auditing ticketing, hospitality, merchandise and checkout pricing to ensure all mandatory fees and charges are shown upfront, with no hidden extras
Drafting and reviewing ticketing, hospitality, merchandise and website terms, including booking, cancellation and refund policies, to ensure they are fair, transparent and enforceable
Auditing checkout flows, add-on selections, pre-ticked boxes and cancellation processes
Putting in place verification and moderation processes and published policies for customer reviews, including those imported from third parties
Equipping commercial, marketing and digital teams with practical consumer law training tailored to sport
Preparing auto-renewing season tickets, memberships and content subscriptions for the DMCCA subscription regime, from sign-up to cancellation
Advising on demand-based pricing for tickets and hospitality to ensure transparency and fairness
Reviewing environmental and sustainability claims, from venue initiatives to merchandise and carbon offsetting, to ensure they are accurate and can be substantiated
Handling fan complaints, managing engagement with regulators and supporting organisations through consumer litigation
Navigating UK, EU and other requirements for sports organisations with international audiences
Our experience
Advised a Premier League football club on the drafting and ongoing development of season ticket terms and conditions, including consumer law compliance, ticketing policies, supporter communications and the implementation of changes to customer-facing schemes and benefits.
Advised a rugby union governing body on consumer refund rights and contractual risk arising from the cancellation of a flagship sporting event, including ticketing platform arrangements, customer terms, booking fees and stakeholder liability allocation.
Advised a Premier League football club on the launch of a digital content subscription service, including consumer law compliance, subscription contract terms, cooling-off rights, customer journeys and preparation for the DMCCA subscription regime.
Advised a professional football club on consumer protection and contractual issues arising from season ticket terms and conditions, including refund entitlements, customer communications and the implementation of revised ticketing policies.
Advised a booking and ticketing platform on the development of consumer-facing ticket sales terms and conditions, customer purchase journeys, cancellation and refund processes, and broader consumer law compliance requirements across its ticketing operations.
Advised an international sports governing body on the review and implementation of consumer-facing terms of service across its digital platforms, including consumer law compliance, subscription and account structures, contractual enforceability and preparedness for the UK’s enhanced consumer enforcement regime.
Getting started
Whether you know exactly what you need or just want to talk something through, book a free 30 minute consultation to discuss your priorities – no strings attached.
Claire Livingstone
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