Last updated 25 October 2021

Promotion of sporting events, sometimes called event management, involves a variety of activities and therefore a variety of different legal considerations, many of which are contractual. Promotion raises issues that are the subject of consumer law, employment law, law relating to personal injuries, intellectual property, advertising and trade practices, and laws dealing with smoking at certain venues.

Promoters are generally responsible for planning, organising finance, organising contractual relations with athletes and officials, organising broadcasting rights and advertising, and securing sponsorship. The vast majority of the aspects in managing and controlling an event are done through contracts (e.g. with spectators via the terms and conditions of purchasing a ticket). Such terms may include restrictions on photographing or videoing an event, what may be brought into the event and whether tickets may be resold. For these terms to be binding, it is important that they are clearly visible and made known to the buyer before they are committed to purchasing the ticket.

For larger events, government legislation may also assist in clarifying the rights and obligations of event organisers, spectators and others. The Major Events Act 2014 (Qld) allows for the declaration of certain locations in order to stage major events such as V8 Supercar motor racing. The Major Sports Facilities Act 2001 (Qld) (Major Sports Facilities Act) applies to major stadiums and venues throughout Queensland, which are prescribed by the Major Sports Facilities Regulation 2014 (Qld). Under s 30C of the Major Sports Facilities Act, a ticket holder can resell a ticket for events at such facilities, but it is an offence to ask for a price greater than 10% of the original price (and an offence for someone to buy a ticket at such a price). This attempts to prevent ‘scalping’ to such events although, on a one-off basis, scalping is difficult to police.