Sports media company appeals millions-dollar image rights case

Better Collective, a company that operates several sports media websites including SpilXperten and Tipsbladet, is appealing a recent court decision that awarded millions in damages to a group of sports stars. The appeal follows a ruling by the Maritime and Commercial Court that ordered Better Collective to pay a total of 6.6 million Danish kroner.

The lawsuit centered on allegations that SpilXperten, a betting tips service, had illegally used numerous images of prominent athletes for commercial gain. Among those whose images were allegedly misused were handball stars Mathias Gidsel and Emil Nielsen. The court's decision stipulated that the compensation would be 50,000 kroner per image, aligning with the athletes' claims.

Better Collective stated in June that it was considering an appeal, asserting its position as a news media organization. The company believes it has the right to use images in an editorial context without requiring explicit consent from the athletes. This stance contrasts with the court's finding that the commercial use of the images was unlawful.

Under the original ruling, DanskHåndbold (Danish Handball) was set to receive 2.6 million kroner, while Mathias Gidsel was awarded 900,000 kroner for the use of 18 images. Additionally, 20 handball players represented by the Players' Association Håndbold, along with badminton players Anders Antonsen and Viktor Axelsen, were also awarded compensation amounts of 150,000 kroner and 50,000 kroner, respectively.