Kids sports release question

For Basketball and Soccer season for the local league I took some photos of my little cousin first year playing manly for family memories. I got a release from his parents to use in my portfolio but what about other kids that was on his team or in the frame with him. Both seasons are over but I want to get into more sports for next year since I enjoyed it. Not trying to sell any images just use on my business page, flickr, and website. Will I have to blur out the kids faces to use online? Track down the parents and get a release? Can I even show the league director the images?

Dunno about US, but in UK if its for 'editorial' use, i.e. your website, portfolio etc, you don't need a release. If its for commercial use - advertising etc, then you do. Is sensible to have the organizers permission to shoot the game (i.e. parents have signed some sort of release about photography). If you haven't done that, think about it for the future if you are shooting more games. At least then the other parents can be potential customers for images. Facebook and flickr seem to be favourite places to (1) nick images without paying, and (2) moaning about 'unauthorized' images being posted and demanding removal.

If you asked a team of lawyers what they would suggest, they would tell you "don't use the pictures, because even if you have permission, they could still sue you, lose, and cost you thousands."

If you asked a team of photographers what they would do, they would tell you that this constitutes editorial use, and they'd be right, too.

My suggestion is publish them as portfolio, don't sell them ever, and include your contact information with them, so parents who take issue with you publishing them can contact you and ask to have them removed. Which in 99.999% of cases, they won't do. The only person who has ever asked me to un-publish a photograph is my own mother.

JonKline wrote in post #17038247
If you asked a team of lawyers what they would suggest, they would tell you "don't use the pictures, because even if you have permission, they could still sue you, lose, and cost you thousands."

If you asked a team of photographers what they would do, they would tell you that this constitutes editorial use, and they'd be right, too.

My suggestion is publish them as portfolio, don't sell them ever, and include your contact information with them, so parents who take issue with you publishing them can contact you and ask to have them removed. Which in 99.999% of cases, they won't do. The only person who has ever asked me to un-publish a photograph is my own mother.

I'm only a hobbyist but I have been wondering this for a long time. With all the legal hurdles esp today with younger subjects how could you ever make a living in this minefield with people or buildings in your photographs?