IP Spotlight - December 2025

SPONSORSHIP & BIG DEALS

As shown above, a figurative representation of the ‘Ashes’ urn has been registered as a trade mark in both Australia and the United Kingdom by CA and the MCC. The MCC, ECB and CA rely on these registered figurative trade marks in the promotion and advertising of the ‘Ashes’ series, as well as on official licenced memorabilia and merchandise, including replicas of the ‘Ashes’ urn such as the example below:

Sponsorships have long played a significant role in both international and domestic sport, and cricket is no exception. In mid-2025, CA entered into a major partnership with Westpac, which became the Principal Partner of the Australian Men’s and Women’s national cricket teams. This new partnership marked the end of CA’s 38-year sponsorship relationship with the Commonwealth Bank. This new partnership will see Westpac’s ‘W’ logo displayed on the uniforms of the Australian Men’s and Women’s team for all matches played in Australia, as well as on the kits of the Australia A and Under 19’s teams. It will also see Westpac appointed an Official Partner of the men’s and women’s Big Bash Leagues, as reflected on the Big Bash Leagues’ website. Since 2011, ASICS has served as CA’s Official Apparel Partner, supplying the training and match kits for the Australian Men’s and Women’s teams. ASICS’ branding appears alongside the Principal Partner’s logo and the CA emblem across official team apparel. Cricket’s evolution is shaped not only by its traditions, but also by ongoing technological innovation, much of which is protected by patents spanning a wide range of equipment including cricket bats, protective gear, and stumps. Patent protection has allowed such inventions to not only enhance the game but also provide a space for inventors to commercialise their innovations. In Australia alone, patent filings have covered inventions such as cricket wicket apparatus, practice and training equipment, pitch cover systems, cricket bats, ball tracking and prediction technologies, manufacturing methods for cricket balls, bat ‘knocking in’ devices, bowling apparatus, and various other training aids. Notably, Grays of Cambridge (International) Ltd, the company behind the well-known Gray-Nicolls’ brand, and known for producing bats, balls, pads and gloves since 1855, has sought patent protection in Australia for a cricket bat and its method of manufacture. INNOVATION ON THE PITCH AND PATENTS IN PLAY

Photos supplied by Author

In 2013, CA made submissions to the Australian Law Reform Commission (ALRC), emphasising the critical role copyright plays in managing its media rights portfolio, including audio-visual, audio, photographic, and statistical coverage, of international and domestic cricket matches and related events, across a range of broadcast platforms. CA noted that media rights represent a substantial revenue stream, accounting for more than 60 percent of its total annual income. Copyright, and where relevant, trade mark protection, also applies to the growing body of digital content produced by or on behalf of the MCC, ECB or CA. This includes mobile applications, administration and player management systems, statistical platforms, live streaming services, digital downloads, and social media content. These protections enable CA, together with MCC and ECB, to control the licensing of their branding, including the ‘Ashes’ brand, to third parties, ensuring the integrity and the commercial value of those brands are maintained. BROADCASTING, COPYRIGHT AND CREATIVE CONTROL

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