Intellectual Property Is There Skill in a Football Fixture List?

摘要

A topical subject struck me as I watched the World Cup final; the question of whether there is protection granted by law in respect of a football fixture list; and, if so, what is that protection? In a case decided in April 2010, Football Dataco Ltd & Ors v Brittens Pools Ltd & Ors the High Court ruled on the copyright status of annual football fixtures lists produced for the purposes of the Scottish and English football leagues. In essence, these lists are no different from similar lists produced throughout the world in any locale where there is some form of multi-team competition where each team will play the others in its league or group a number of times in any time period. The lists will detail the teams due to play, the venue, the date and the times.