The sports technology revolution: IP in sport is growing faster than the global average

A new report by the World Intellectual Property Organisation (WIPO) entitled ‘Sports Technologies’ notes an unprecedented surge in interest in protecting innovations in sport – between 2016 and 2025, more than 65,700 inventions, over 1.25 million trade marks and more than 70,000 industrial designs were registered.

Geographically, Asia leads in terms of the number of patent applications and industrial design registrations, accounting for 63% and 76% of the total number of applications respectively. North America ranks second (22%). Meanwhile, the European region shows the highest level of activity in the trade mark segment (43%), which is due to the significant concentration of world-renowned sports clubs and brands in Europe.

“Sport is based not only on physical achievements, but also on creative ideas and intangible assets. Club emblems that evoke strong emotions in fans, sponsorship contracts linking brands with athletes, technologies that enhance sporting performance, and broadcasting contracts that bring sporting events to millions of viewers – none of this would be possible without the intellectual property system. Today we are celebrating the fundamental role of IP in bringing sport together with innovative and creative potential,” said WIPO Director General Daren Tang when presenting the report.
For more information on the report, please click here.

Based on WIPO materials

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