The Football as Intellectual Property Object
Forthcoming, in A History of Intellectual Property in 50 Objects, Dan Hunter and Claudy Op Den Kamp, eds., Cambridge University Press
7 Pages Posted: 28 Nov 2017
Date Written: November 28, 2017
Abstract
The histories of technology and culture are filled with innovations that emerged and took root by being shared widely, only to be succeeded by eras of growth framed by intellectual property. The Internet is a modern example. The football, also known as the pelota, ballon, bola, balón, and soccer ball, is another, older, and broader one. The football lies at the core of football. Intersections between the football and intellectual property law are relatively few in number, but the football supplies a focal object through which the great themes of intellectual property have shaped the game: origins; innovation and standardization; and relationships among law and rules, on the one hand, and the organization of society, culture, and the economy, on the other.
Keywords: Intellectual property, IP, patent, trademark, legal history, law and technology, IP, football, soccer, FIFA, World Cup, sport, sporting goods, Adidas, Nike, Mitre, Select
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