Image Rights for Athletes: A Plain-English Guide
Your image is an asset. Here's how to protect it, license it, and avoid the common mistakes that cost athletes money.
What 'image rights' actually means
Image rights are your ability to control how your name, face, voice and likeness are used commercially. In most countries you don't have to register them — but you do have to enforce them, contract by contract.
What to put in every sponsorship deal
Define exactly where your image can be used, for how long, and in which territories. Never sign away 'all media, in perpetuity' for a flat fee. Usage should match payment — broad usage costs more.
Keep your content rights
When you work with a content team, make sure you retain the right to use the content they make for you. You should be able to repost, repurpose and show it in your portfolio without asking permission.
Get it in writing, always
A handshake deal over a DM is not a deal. Even a simple one-page agreement prevents 90% of the disputes that wreck athlete-brand relationships. If a sponsor won't sign, they're not a sponsor.