Which statement correctly distinguishes copyright and trademark protection for sports broadcasts and logos, and how licensing deals allocate rights?

• A. Trademarks protect marks and branding; copyrights cover original broadcasts and media; licensing deals allocate rights to broadcasters, sponsors, and merchandise
• B. Copyrights protect marks; Trademarks cover broadcasts; licensing deals allocate rights to fans
• C. Trademarks protect original broadcasts; Copyrights cover logos; licensing deals allocate rights to players
• D. All of the above

Answer: (A)

In sports IP law, trademarks protect marks used in commerce—team names, logos, mascots, and branding elements—so that the public can identify the source of goods and services. Copyrights protect original works of authorship, such as the actual game broadcasts, footage, commentary, and other media as fixed in a tangible form. Licensing deals are the contracts that allocate those rights among different parties: broadcasters and streaming services obtain the rights to show the game; sponsors gain rights to use the branding in advertising; merchandise manufacturers obtain the rights to reproduce logos and marks on products. Because trademarks govern branding and copyrights cover the actual broadcasts, this option correctly delineates both protections and how licensing arrangements distribute rights among broadcasters, sponsors, and merchandise. The other statements misstate which protection covers marks versus broadcasts and misidentify typical licensees (fans or players), which doesn’t align with how rights are allocated in practice.