Naming rights — a sponsorship deal over the name of a stadium, arena or tournament — are not regulated in Georgia by a separate statute: the deal itself is written under the general rules of trademark and contract law. What the Law on Sport does establish are the objects and symbols such a deal touches: the locked rights over Olympic and Paralympic symbolism, the object regime of the sports base, and the rules for using the emblems and official signs of competitions. On this page we explain what a sponsor and a rights holder must know when working with these norms.
Olympic and Paralympic Symbolism — a Locked Asset
The National Olympic Committee of Georgia is an independent public organization that coordinates the Olympic movement in Georgia and is a legal entity; it is governed by Georgian legislation, this law, the Olympic Charter and its own statutes. In the International Olympic Committee and its events, including the Olympic Games, Georgia is represented only by the National Olympic Committee. The decisive norm for sponsorship is this: the Committee has its own symbolism, and only it has the right to use that symbolism. The same model operates for the Paralympic movement: the National Paralympic Committee of Georgia is an independent public organization, only it represents Georgia in the International Paralympic Committee and its events, and only it has the right to use its own symbolism. A naming deal that relies on this symbolism, or associates itself with it, is possible only by agreement with these organizations — a sponsor cannot directly incorporate Olympic or Paralympic symbols into its own naming or campaign. Both committees cooperate with the ministry and the national sports federations on a contractual basis and participate in ensuring the preparation and performance of national teams.
The Sports Base as an Object — the Bans on Function Change and Liquidation
A name is most often given to a sports object, and the law gives this object its own regime. The material-technical base of sport comprises every kind of sports and health-promoting construction, equipment, inventory and other property designated for sporting activity. A sports base is an object whose aim is the training of athletes and the health improvement of the population, or which meets the requirements for holding sports competitions. On these objects the law establishes three firm prohibitions: it is inadmissible to change the function of a sports base without agreement with the ministry; it is inadmissible to build or reconstruct early-education and school institutions without accounting for sports objects; and it is inadmissible to liquidate sports objects or change their profile before the transfer of an equivalent object for operation. For a sponsorship deal this means that the named object cannot lawfully change its function or disappear — the investor's interest is protected by statutorily fixed stability. The ministry controls the targeted use of state sports constructions, and on state sports bases the priority right to train belongs to the national teams.
Emblems, Official Signs and Awards
Sponsorship connected with a tournament's name touches sporting symbolism. Under the law, a sports distinctive mark confirms the qualification of an athlete and a referee, and the merit of athletes, coaches and other sports specialists is marked with medals and badges. The ministry approves the honorary titles in sport and determines the list of sports awards for winners and record-holders at championships; for exceptional contribution and highest achievements, the ministry nominates athletes, coaches and other workers for state prizes and awards. The central norm for sponsorship is the rule on the use of symbolism: the use of sporting symbolism — the emblems and official signs of public sports organizations, sports institutions and organizations, and of international and other sports competitions — is determined by legislation. This means that before incorporating a tournament's emblem into a sponsorship campaign, one must establish what this legislation provides and who is the entitled holder of the symbolism.
The Naming Deal — the Domain of General Law
The naming-rights agreement itself is not regulated by the sports statute — this should be said plainly. The deal's legal nature rests on two general instruments: the trademark regime, which determines the commercial protection of the name, and the general rules of contract, which govern the parties' rights and obligations. Preparing the deal therefore stands on two questions: whether the counterparty holds the right to grant the name over the object or the symbolism, and how far the content of the agreement fits the prohibitions of the sports law described above. The sports statute gives the deal its frame; its content the parties must build under the rules of general law.
Frequently Asked Questions
Below we answer the questions that arise most often around naming-rights deals.
Is there a separate naming-rights statute?
No — the deal is written under general law; the sports statute regulates only the related objects and symbolism.
Who owns the Olympic symbolism?
The National Olympic Committee — only it has the right to use its own symbolism; the same applies to the Paralympic Committee.
Can a sports base's function be changed by a naming deal?
No — changing the function without agreement is prohibited; even liquidation is inadmissible before the transfer of an equivalent object.
What governs the use of a tournament emblem?
The use of the emblems and official signs of competitions is determined by legislation.
Who holds the list of sports awards?
The ministry approves the honorary titles and determines the list of awards for championship winners and record-holders.
How We Help on Legal.ge
The Legal.ge team assists sponsors, federations, clubs and object owners in preparing naming-rights deals. We verify rights over symbolism, distinguish Olympic and Paralympic assets, draft the guarantee of the object's unchanged function, and protect interests at every stage of the agreement. Contact us for a consultation — we will assess your deal and build a structure that stays within the frame of the sports law.