Sports team Essay Example for Free

Sports team Essay The sale of sports related memorabilia has become one of the biggest retail industries. However, it has also become one of the hardest to manage and control, legally and creatively (World Intellectual Property Rights Organization [WIPRO] 2007b). This has become particularly apparent in Boston, home of one of the most popular sports team, the Boston Red Sox, despite significant efforts to control the production and distribution of goods bearing their logos and trademarks. Some argue that the proliferation and sale of these items are self-expression and that they have contributed significantly to the popularity of the team (Grimaldi, 2007). However, this compromises the value of authentic memorabilia, the ability or government to protect consumer rights and commercial laws and the intellectual property rights of the teams. The protection of these stakeholders requires that vendors have the proper license both from the government and sports teams, which in the case of the Boston Red Sox, through Major League Baseball (MLB) authorities. In doing so both parties will be able to monitor the merchandise being commercialized and collect the taxes and royalties due them respectively (Tozzi, 2003). In turn, buyers are ensured of the authenticity, quality and safety of the products they are purchasing with full backing of civil and criminal statutes. WIPRO (2007a) notes that that this will also help alleviate the price of sports memorabilia because the price of genuine products will not be beefed up in order to compensate for unauthorized products. At the same time, the unlicensed vendors compromise the rights of legal retailers who bear the burden of licensure fess, taxation and regulation (Grimaldi, 2007). The effect of the lack of proper vendor licensing in Boston is not limited to commercial regulation. It also impacts the protection of consumer and intellectual property rights. It provides neither the movement the means to monitor or control the proliferation of knock-offs and consumers or sports organizations the means to bring action against violators. Thus, it is important that vendors have the proper license to sell so that all parties, sports teams, consumers and vendors alike, can enjoy full benefits of the law and not compromise each others rights. References Grimaldi, Paul (2007). The business of baseball. Projo Online, October 27. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from http://www. projo. com/business/content/BZ_MLB_GEAR_10-27-07_KF7L00S_v20. 2551554. html Tozzi, John (2003). Red Sox and BRA agree on Yawkey Way. The Daily Free Press, January 22. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from http://media. www. dailyfreepress. com/media/storage/paper87/news/2003/01/22/News/Red-Sox. And. Bra. Agree. On. Yawkey. Way-349123. shtml World Intellectual Property Rights Organization (2007a). Enforcement Advisory Body Examines Criminal Enforcement of Intellectual Property Rights. WIPO Press Room, November 5. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from http://www. wipo. int/pressroom/en/articles/2007/article_0082. html World Intellectual Property Rights Organization (2007b). International Conference Underlines Role of IP in the Creative Industries. WIPO Press Room, October 31. Retrieved November 6, 2007, from http://www. wipo. int/pressroom/en/articles/2007/article_0080. html