IP & Trademark Policy

The following intellectual property is owned by Fanz® LLC and protected under applicable trademark, copyright, and intellectual property laws:

Unauthorized use of Fanz® LLC intellectual property, including reproduction, modification, distribution, or display of our trademarks, logos, software, or other proprietary materials, is strictly prohibited without prior written consent.

Fanz® and its users may reference third-party trademarks under the doctrine of nominative fair use as recognized under the Lanham Act (15 U.S.C. § 1125). Nominative fair use permits the use of another's trademark for the purpose of identifying and referring to the trademark owner's goods or services where:

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  The product or service in question is not readily identifiable without use of the trademark.

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  Only so much of the mark is used as is reasonably necessary to identify the product or service.

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  The use does not suggest sponsorship or endorsement by the trademark owner.

This includes use of team names, league names, player names, and broadcaster names for purposes of identification, commentary, criticism, news reporting, and fan discussion. Such uses are a fundamental part of the sports fan experience and the Fanz® platform's purpose.

The following uses of third-party or Fanz® intellectual property are strictly prohibited on the platform:

4.1 Commercial Exploitation

Users may not use trademarks, logos, or other intellectual property of third parties or Fanz® for unauthorized commercial purposes, including but not limited to:

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  Manufacturing, selling, or distributing unauthorized merchandise bearing third-party or Fanz® trademarks.

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  Creating or selling NFTs, digital collectibles, or other digital assets that incorporate third-party intellectual property without authorization.

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  Using third-party marks in paid advertisements, sponsored content, or promotional materials without authorization from the rights holder.

4.2 Impersonation

Users may not create accounts, profiles, pages, or content that impersonate or falsely represent an affiliation with any sports team, league, broadcaster, athlete, or other organization. This includes:

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  Using official logos, marks, or imagery in profile pictures or banners in a manner that suggests official affiliation.

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  Claiming to be an official representative of a team, league, or organization without authorization.

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  Creating parody accounts that are not clearly labeled as parody or fan accounts.

4.3 Unauthorized Distribution

Users may not distribute, retransmit, or make available copyrighted content without proper authorization, including:

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  Full-length broadcast recordings, game replays, or highlight packages owned by leagues or broadcasters.

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  Copyrighted photographs, artwork, or graphic designs without permission from the rights holder.

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  Music, audio recordings, or other media content in violation of applicable copyright law.

Fanz® encourages passionate fan expression while maintaining respect for intellectual property rights. To help users stay within permitted bounds, we offer the following guidelines for fan content:

When in doubt, err on the side of creating original content. If you are unsure whether your use of third-party material is permitted, consult with a legal professional.

If you believe that content on the Fanz® platform infringes your intellectual property rights, you may report the violation through any of the following channels:

6.1 In-Platform Reporting

Use the report feature available on all content within the Fanz® platform. Select "Intellectual Property Violation" as the reason for your report and provide details about the infringing material and your ownership claim.

6.2 Direct to IP Team

Send a detailed report of the violation directly to our Intellectual Property team at ip@fanz.us. Include the specific content at issue, your ownership documentation, and the URL(s) of the infringing material.

6.3 DMCA Takedown

For copyright-specific claims, submit a formal DMCA takedown notice to our Designated Copyright Agent as described in our DMCA Copyright Policy.

6.4 Rights Holder Dashboard

Verified rights holders (leagues, teams, broadcasters, and other major IP owners) may request access to our Rights Holder Dashboard, which provides streamlined tools for identifying and reporting infringing content at scale. Contact ip@fanz.us to request access.

Fanz® takes intellectual property violations seriously and will take appropriate enforcement action when violations are identified. Enforcement actions may include, but are not limited to:

Fanz® operates as an online service provider under 17 U.S.C. § 512 and maintains compliance with the safe harbor provisions of the Digital Millennium Copyright Act. As a platform that hosts user-generated content, Fanz®:

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  Does not have actual knowledge of infringing material until notified through proper channels.

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  Acts expeditiously to remove or disable access to infringing material upon receiving a valid takedown notice.

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  Does not receive a direct financial benefit from infringing activity where it has the right and ability to control such activity.

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  Has designated an agent with the U.S. Copyright Office to receive notifications of claimed infringement.

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  Has adopted and reasonably implemented a repeat infringer policy.

For full details on our DMCA procedures, including how to file a takedown notice or counter-notification, please refer to our DMCA Copyright Policy.