1

I have read that sports results can not be copyrighted since they are facts. But i've read the terms of https://www.flashscore.com/terms/ , where it says:

Intellectual Property Without prior authorisation in writing from the Provider, Visitors are not authorised to copy, modify, tamper with, distribute, transmit, display, reproduce, transfer, upload, download or otherwise use or alter any of the content of the App.

If i wanted to post for example this data on my website:

https://www.flashscore.com/match/4Qrjz25m/#/match-summary/point-by-point/0

and use my own design and everything, just the match data would be stolen from here. Is this the violation of copyright?

1 Answer 1

2

No copyright does not protect facts, and sports results are facts. In the US that would end the matter. But this site is in the EU, and EU law also includes a "database right" that is separate from, but closely related to copyright. That will, in some cases protect collections of facts. Reproducing an indiviual match report is not copyright infringement, reproducing a sizable set of reports may violate the database right.

3
  • How would the EU database right apply if the OP is in the US?
    – Someone
    Oct 9, 2022 at 4:16
  • 1
    @Someone you take the data from a place that is for law reasons part of a EU country. Thus you subject yourself to that EU law.
    – Trish
    Oct 9, 2022 at 15:12
  • 3
    @Someone Flashscore appears to be an EU business. The laws it refernces in its ToS are EU laws. If rights granted by those laws are infringed, suit can be brought in an EU member court. If damages are awarded in such a court, the plaintiff's lawyers can ask a US court to enforce them with a US judgement, and such requests are often granted. Oct 9, 2022 at 15:33

You must log in to answer this question.

Not the answer you're looking for? Browse other questions tagged .