Football: More than just a game!
When you think of football, the fans and the FIFA World Cup, Intellectual Property (IP) is rarely the first thing that springs to mind. Yet it plays a significant role in the modern game. From the design and engineering of football boots to advanced player-tracking systems and real-time performance data analysis, IP has become fundamentally important to football, both on and off the pitch.
Growing up playing football often meant asking your parents for the most sought-after boots at the time. In the 1990s, few were more iconic than the Adidas Predator. The original concept was created by Craig Johnston, a former Liverpool player, who introduced rubberised elements to the striking surface of the boot to enhance control and shooting technique. Adidas later went on to engineer and refine Johnston’s prototype into a commercial product, releasing the first Adidas Predator in 1994. The technology behind the boots was the subject of patent protection, while the branding and design of the boots were protected through intellectual property rights. When elite players such as Cantona and Zidane began wearing the Predators, the boots quickly became a status symbol.
Similarly, the Nike Total 90s, launched in the early 2000s, became hugely popular. Anecdotally, and as a childhood memory, I have a recollection of a well-known Irish retailer producing an imitation of the boots called “Total 27s”. There appears to be no trace of their existence online, but my recollection is based on childhood memories shared with teammates. It was undoubtedly neither the first imitation boot nor the last. As we know, the world of football has long attracted lookalike and counterfeit products seeking to capitalise on the reputation of the genuine article, often raising important questions around the protection and enforcement of IP rights.
Aside from football boots, IP was once largely associated with jerseys, club badges, and logos. However, it now extends significantly further, encompassing players themselves and even their on-field celebrations. Cole Palmer, through his company Palmer Management Limited, has registered trade marks protecting aspects of his personal brand. He has also registered the trade mark ‘COLD PALMER,’ associated with his now-famous celebration, covering a remarkably broad range of goods and services, from food and clothing to aircraft and underwater vehicles. It remains to be seen whether Cole Palmer will start producing his own range of submarines. However, the breadth of the specification potentially highlights the future direction of IP in football. Will footballers increasingly seek to protect and register as much of their commercial identity as possible to maximise their own value? There seems to be a clear shift within the world of IP towards the increased commercialisation of individual players and their branding within the sport.
Innovative technologies and Artificial Intelligence (AI) have also become increasingly embedded in football. Over the last decade, VAR and Hawk-Eye goal-line technology have been introduced, using multi-camera tracking systems, high-speed imaging, and real-time decision support to assist referees. This is likely only the beginning of deeper technological integration within football, as we move towards the next generation of motion sensors embedded in match balls and advanced biometric monitoring systems capable of tracking player fatigue, performance, and injury risk. The next wave of football innovation is likely to be driven by AI advancements, which could reshape substitution management and football tactics, while changing the role of refereeing by augmenting on-field decision-making rather than replacing human judgement entirely.
While football has always been driven by its players and fanbase, IP plays an increasingly significant role within the game. From the early innovations of the Adidas Predator to sophisticated Hawk-Eye systems, VAR and the commercialisation of global broadcasting rights, IP shapes the game at every level. It is the invisible protector of the sport and its business. For better or for worse, IP is now embedded in every pass, goal, and celebration in modern football.
