Mbappé and Teammates Demand Ownership of Image Rights in Betting Ads Amid Industry Pushback
In a recent development, Kylian Mbappé along with several other members of the France national team have formally requested the French Football Federation to restrict licensed betting companies from leveraging their images in advertising. The move follows an incident where Betclic incorporated players’ images into a World Cup promotional campaign without prior consent. Mbappé Teammates Images
Player Rights Under Scrutiny Amidst Betting Industry Tensions
The controversy centers on a dispute over image rights, reigniting debate within French football circles. Despite a 2023 collective agreement that outlined the rules governing sponsor use of players’ images, concerns have arisen about whether those guidelines were properly communicated and adhered to. The players now question whether they were adequately informed that their images might be used by a bookmaker in promotional efforts.
The Betclic Campaign Controversy
The issue came to light just before France’s 2-1 defeat to Ivory Coast, when players voiced concerns over Betclic’s campaign featuring stars like Mbappé, Rayan Cherki, Désiré Doué, Michael Olise, and Ousmane Dembélé. These images reportedly originated from the players’ training sessions at Clairefontaine. Players involved in the campaign claim they had no knowledge that their images could be utilized by a betting company. Betclic secured rights in 2023 through a collective image rights package, which permits federation sponsors to use groups of French players in team-based promotional activities.
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Historical Context: The 2022 Dispute
This latest controversy echoes a disagreement that surfaced ahead of the 2022 World Cup in Qatar. At that time, Mbappé publicly opposed the use of his image in campaigns linked to betting firms and fast-food brands, emphasizing that players should have more control over how their likenesses are exploited commercially. Many France internationals supported this stance through the National Union of Professional Footballers (UNFP). Negotiations between the union, player representatives, and federation officials resulted in a new collective agreement in 2023, aimed at clarifying how sponsors can use player images and reducing the likelihood of future disputes.
Details of the 2023 Collective Agreement
The new framework restricts federation sponsors to using images of five or more players collectively, as part of team promotions. Since Betclic’s campaign involved this threshold and employed official federation media assets, it technically complied with the agreement. However, the focus now shifts to whether players were sufficiently informed that their images could appear in campaigns associated with gambling brands. The ongoing dispute underscores the importance of transparency and clear communication regarding image rights and sponsorship usage. Mbappé Teammates Images
