Football Fixture Lists Protected by Database Copyright

The High Court has given an interesting ruling on the intellectual property rights subsisting in the English and Scottish football league fixture lists, finding that such lists, while not capable of protection by database right, do enjoy protection as copyright works.

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The High Court has given an interesting ruling on the intellectual property rights subsisting in the English and Scottish football league fixture lists, finding that such lists, while not capable of protection by database right, do enjoy protection as copyright works.

Background

The defendants were football pools and betting companies and also Yahoo!, all of which used the fixture lists without a licence. This judgment was the trial of a preliminary issue and did not consider possible defences, which may be the subject of a further hearing. It is understood that Yahoo, at least, is running defences relating to fair dealing