Big sporting events: content without breaking rules

Key takeaways

Sporting events on social media can help a business when your customers are watching, but the big tournaments protect their names, logos and footage. Talk about the occasion in general terms, show what you are doing, such as screenings, opening hours or team sweepstakes, and never imply you are a sponsor. Broadcast clips are not yours to post.

• Never use official logos, mascots or match footage.
• Do not imply sponsorship or an official link.
• Olympic words and symbols have extra legal protection in the UK.
• Post what you are doing: screenings, hours, team spirit.

Can a business post about big sporting events?

Yes, a business can talk about a sporting event in general terms, such as wishing a national team luck or showing that your pub is screening the match. What you cannot do is use the event's trade marks, logos or footage, or suggest an official connection, because organisers of the largest tournaments enforce their rights to protect sponsors.

• How to build a monthly social media content calendar

What exactly should you avoid?

Avoid official logos, mascots, trophies used as branding, protected event names in promotions, and broadcast footage or photos you do not own. In the UK, the Olympic Symbol etc. (Protection) Act 1995 gives extra protection to Olympic words and symbols. Copyright in match footage belongs to the broadcaster or rights holder, so reposting clips can lead to takedowns.

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What can you post instead?

Post what your business is doing: screenings, opening hours and booking for big matches, the team's predictions, a sweepstake, or themed products described in general terms, such as 'match day pies'. Your own photos of your customers watching, with permission, are yours to use. Keep the focus on your premises and your people.

• An event social media plan: before, on the day, after

How do you plan for a tournament?

Put fixture dates on the calendar when they are published, especially for national teams, then plan posts for screening bookings a week or two ahead and reminders on match days. Leave a flexible slot after each big match, because results change the mood. Have a quiet, respectful post ready for a defeat rather than the celebration you hoped for.

• Leave room in the calendar for reactive posts

When should you leave sport alone?

Leave it alone when your customers are not interested, when your link is purely commercial, or when the story turns serious, such as a player injury or crowd trouble. B2B firms and most professional services gain little from tournament content beyond a light team post.

What does this look like in practice?

A pattern we see: a venue shares a broadcast clip of a winning goal with its logo on top, and the post is removed for copyright. A photo of its own crowded bar at the final whistle, with a 'book for the next match' line, does the job better and carries no risk.

• See client work
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Sporting events checklist

• Add fixtures to the calendar when published.
• Do not use official logos, names in promotions or footage.
• Never imply sponsorship.
• Post your own photos and what you are doing.
• Leave a flexible slot after each big match.

• An event social media plan: before, on the day, after
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Next step

If a big tournament is coming, list the fixtures your customers will care about and plan one booking or opening-hours post per match, in your own words and your own photos.