As Greg Berkowitz explained, licensing agreements address key issues such as royalty rates, exclusivity, and rights. When entering into these agreements, teams and organizations can control the quality and distribution of their branded products, protecting their intellectual property while generating revenue through royalties and sales.

The protection of trademarks in sports is crucial to deter unauthorized use, and protect and maintain revenue streams as the sale of jerseys and merchandise with team branding results in significant revenues for teams. Sports teams invest significant resources into building and marketing their brand which involves the significant use of trademarks, from designing iconic logos like Real Madrid’s logo which is recognized worldwide to crafting memorable slogans like “Americas Team” when referring to the Dallas Cowboys. When these trademarks are infringed upon, not only does it impact revenue through lost sales, but it can also damage the brand image if the logos or other intellectual property is used in ways. 

In sports merchandising, counterfeit merchandise poses a significant threat to brand integrity within the sports merchandise industry, as mentioned by Fanatics in their commitment to brand protection (Fanatics). Knockoff and replicated products infringe on authentic merchandise by mimicking merchandise and deceiving fans with identical or similar designs. In our interview with Eli Kumekpor, we discussed the growing concern of brands as these fake products continue to rise in popularity, and whether true fans might not support these counterfeit goods, as it is looked down upon in the fashion industry. Fanatics also acknowledges the detrimental impact of counterfeit goods on brand reputation and consumer trust in their brand protection statement, emphasizing the need for proactive measures to combat this issue (Fanatics). Through legal action targeting trademark counterfeiting and infringement, Fanatics looks to safeguard its trademarks and deter these activities. 

A similar endeavor to counterfeiting can be the misuse of a team or players' trademarks and likeness, as discussed with Greg Berkowitz, in the sense of local businesses and bars using the University of Maryland’s brand to promote their businesses, which can also taint brand image. An example of this could include a bar using the university's logos to promote specials for upcoming events like March Madness, which might not align with an academic institution’s values.