High Profile Sports Team Photo Releases?

[bergenjente]

I have been given the privilege of shooting a basketball camp for urban youth with a very high profile sports team. The only stipulation is to have a photo release signed by each basketball player giving their permission to have their images used by my business and also the nonprofit organization I am helping out. I don't think this will be a problem with any of the players, because who doesn't want publicity of you helping out an underprivileged youth? :) I was just wanting some advice on how to word this permission/release correctly and professionally. Any suggestions? I need to have it done by Sunday, when the camp starts. Thanks!

[chakalakasp]

Heh. You might be surprised. If this is a NBA team, full of people making millions of dollars a year to play basketball and millions and millions more from exclusive endorsement deals, getting them to sign any kind of release for any kind of advertorial or endorsement use could be problematic, unless it's in exchange for a check with a lot of zeros. This is the kind of thing that you need to speak to their agents about.

How do you word your release? HIRE A LAWYER, DUMMY! :) Seriously, you don't "make your own" model releases when you're dealing with NBA players. You could get eaten alive.

Strictly speaking, using their images in an editorial way does not require a release, and it sounds like this is what you're hired to do.

CONSULT A LAWYER!

[gromeo]

You say "High Profile Team" is this a pro team or NCAA team?

[mikekelley]

Yeah really depends on what league/level the team is at...

[bergenjente]

:) Okay guys, good question. This is a high profile NCAA team. Especially when you live in my town: Lexigton, KY. You know....number one recruiting class, number one and two recruits in the nation....:cool: I'll let you figure out the rest. ;) And we were instructed by their people to put together a release. So that's their idea, not mine. All I wanted help with was the wording. But it looks as if I will have to work on that myself tonight. Check you later, guys! You say "High Profile Team" is this a pro team or NCAA team?

[PhotosGuy]

Dan Heller's model release primer (http://www.danheller.com/model-release-primer)

The Tricky Side of Photo Model Releases (http://www.creativepro.com/article/the-tricky-side-photo-model-releases)

[FlyingPhotog]

:) Okay guys, good question. This is a high profile NCAA team. Especially when you live in my town: Lexigton, KY. You know....number one recruiting class, number one and two recruits in the nation....:cool: I'll let you figure out the rest. ;) And we were instructed by their people to put together a release. So that's their idea, not mine. All I wanted help with was the wording. But it looks as if I will have to work on that myself tonight. Check you later, guys!

I'd also check with the NCAA as they have pretty strict rules as it pertains to student atheletes and how they can / can not benefit from, well, anything...

[bergenjente]

I'd also check with the NCAA as they have pretty strict rules as it pertains to student atheletes and how they can / can not benefit from, well, anything...

Thanks! Appreciate the advice! Cheers!

[dehoff]

Have you talked to the SID at said school?

I know a lot of schools that have all the student-athletes sign a release pertaining to photography/video. Many times as long as it's NOT a NCAA sponsored event (ie March Madness in your case) and as long as you're NOT using the images for direct promotion of a product (ie text on the image stating "Student-Athlete X says product Y is awesome!") you'll be OK with the school's release.

YMMV.