Between Effectiveness and Fundamental Rights: Sports Piracy and the Privatization of Copyright Enforcement in the EU

This article examines the adequacy of EU copyright law in addressing the unauthorized dissemination of live sporting events, with particular focus on the audiovisual exploitation of football. It advances two principal arguments. First, despite the absence of copyright protection for sporting events as such, EU intellectual property law provides a comprehensive framework for the protection of their audiovisual exploitation. Secondly, recent developments in enforcement practices, while enhancing effectiveness, give rise to significant risks, notably in relation to proportionality and the increasing privatization of enforcement.