文|Ricardo Oliveras 翻譯|魯虞舟
Without doubt, Covid-19 is having an enormous social and economic impact, a situation from which the sports industry is not exempt. Regardless of the sports practice, the country or the magnitude of the sport competition, we have witnessed during these last two months a continuous trickle of temporary postponements or definitive cancellations of competitions and sports events.
眾所周知，Covid-19疫情已然導致巨大的社會和經濟沖擊，體育產業也難以獨善其身。在過去的兩個月中，全球各國的各種規模的體育賽事和活動被推遲或取消屢見不鮮。
In what situation does this pandemic leave the sports industry in Spain? What are the legal aspects to be debated? What legal instruments do we have in Spain? What legal position do such important stakeholders have for this industry as sponsors or TVs and audiovisual platforms? Are there opportunities within this scenario? In summary, what challenges from a legal perspective in Spain does Covid-19 leave us within the sports industry and how to deal with the diverse legal matters that arise？
這場疫情將西班牙的體育產業置于何境地？有哪些法律層面的問題值得討論？西班牙提供哪些法律應對手段？贊助商或電視和視聽平臺等的重要利益攸關者在該行業有何法律地位？在這種情況下還有任何機遇嗎？總而言之，Covid-19疫情下的西班牙體育產業在法律層面所面臨的挑戰是什么——我們如何應對和處理當下涌現的各種法律問題。
The consequences of the Covid-19 crisis in the sports industry have captured a lot of media interest in the last weeks. Below, we answer five legal questions which, due to their economic significance, will have an impact in the short or medium-term on the future of the sports industry.
在過去的幾星期中，Covid-19危機對體育產業的影響吸引了大量媒體關注。有鑒于此，我們將回答五個在中短期對體育產業的未來會產生較大影響的法律問題。
Ⅰ. What is the status of contracts for professional team sportsmen and women?
一、職業團體運動員的合同狀況如何？
Like any other entity, sports clubs and/or Limited Liability Sports Companies (in Spanish "Sociedad Anonima Deportiva or "S.A.D.") can also take advantage of the temporary employment regulation proceedings (ERTEs) for reasons of force majeure that are set out in Royal Decree-Law 8/2020 of 17 March (RDL 8/2020). It should not be forgotten that these entities as well as professional sportsmen and sportswomen are subject to the same labour regulations. For this reason, this report does not question the fact that clubs or S.A.D. can apply to the ERTE due to force majeure.
像任何其他實體機構一樣，體育俱樂部或有限責任的體育公司（西班牙語為“Sociedad Anonima Deportiva”或“S.A.D.”）也可以出于不可抗力的原因適用2020年3月17日頒布的第8/2020號皇家法令（RDL 8/2020）所規定的臨時雇傭規則程序（ERTEs）。必須承認，這些實體機構以及職業運動員都受相同的勞動法規約束。因此，本報告并不質疑俱樂部或S.A.D.可以基于不可抗力適用ERTE。
Similarly, the position of certain sports federations, such as the RFEF, which would like to see football clubs or S.A.D. not go down this route is unrealistic and unfortunate, especially as it is an entity that has delegated administrative functions and whose main mission must be to ensure the promotion and maintenance of the sport of football. It is worth remembering that a club or S.A.D. is not only made up of sportsmen and women but also of a large group of non-sporting workers. Indeed, either in football, basketball, roller hockey, or handball, several clubs have taken advantage of the ERTE's measure. Those clubs and/or S.A.D. that have not yet applied an ERTE may still benefit from it if they consider it finally necessary.
相應的，從西班牙足聯這類體育協會的立場出發，它們所期待的足球俱樂部或S.A.D.不采用勞動法層面手段，既不現實也不合理——尤其它們具有一定的受托行政管理職能，且首要任務是確保足球運動的穩定和發展。絕不能忽視的是，俱樂部或S.A.D.不僅僅有運動員，更有一大批非運動員職工。事實上，在足球、籃球、曲棍球、手球等領域，已經有數家俱樂部適用了ERTE的措施。即便部分俱樂部和/或S.A.D.暫未適用ERTE，一旦它們覺得必要，仍然可以適用。
Another measure applied by the clubs or S.A.D. - at least in football and basketball - has been the collective private agreements of salary reduction with their professional players. It is fair to acknowledge the common sense, social sensitivity and solidarity shown by the vast majority of football and basketball players in this country in reaching such agreements to support the financial viability of their employer, as well as to preserve the jobs of their non-sporting colleagues.
俱樂部或S.A.D.采取的另一項措施——至少在足球和籃球行業——與職業球員達成降薪的集體協議。絕大多數足球和籃球運動員在達成此類協議以支持其雇主的財務生存以及維持其非職業運動員同事的就業時所表現出的共情共識、社會敏感性和團結精神，值得肯定。
The issue under legal debate at the moment, once the first impact of Covid-19 on the contracts of professional sportsmen and women has been overcome with success, is the validity and duration of those contracts that end on 30 June 2020. If the competition is resumed, it will most probably end later than such date foreseen in the contract. This is a question that has been usually anticipated and covered in the collective agreements signed between the clubs and their players.
成功抵御了Covid-19對職業運動員合同的最初沖擊之后，目前需要在法律層面進行討論的問題是，那些將在2020年6月30日到期的合同的效力和期限。賽事恢復后，賽季持續時間很可能比合同預設的到期時點更長。這是俱樂部和球員之間簽署的集體協議中通常可預見并應涵蓋的問題。
On the other hand, it should be borne in mind that RDL 8/2020 establishes that those temporary contracts that, because of Covid-19, cannot comply with the initially agreed purpose, will be interrupted. Thus, the situation of those clubs or S.A.D. that have applied an ERTE to their sportsmen and sportswomen whose contracts have a termination date set at "the end of the 2019/2020 season" (i.e. with no express mention of 30 June) should be analyzed to determine whether those contracts would be automatically extended until the end of the competition beyond 30 June.
另一方面，根據RDL 8/2020規定，Covid-19導致的臨時合同如不再符合最初簽訂時的目的，將被終止。因此，將ERTE適用于到期時點原本定為“2019/2020賽季末”（也即未明確提及6月30日）的合同的情況應當被具體分析，以確定其適用時限是否應該自動延長至可能超過6月30日的賽季結束時點。
However, the extension of contracts beyond 30 June seems to have a "sport-administrative" obstacle in terms of the initial sports licence which was issued until 30 June. This should not be an obstacle to the continuity of the sportsman or woman beyond 30 June because the sports federation that issued the licence can perfectly well modify and extend the term of the licence.
但是，將合同期延至6月30日之后，相對最初簽發的有效期至6月30日的體育執照似乎存在“體育行政管理”層面的障礙。但這不是6月30日后運動員繼續工作的障礙，因為簽發執照的體育協會完全可以妥善地修改和延長該執照的期限。
In short, two final conclusions:1.the rights of professional sportsmen and sportswomen as workers prevail over the integrity of the competitions in which they participate. And,2.the circumstances caused by the coronavirus open up a world of possibilities that in the future must be provided for contractually, regulating and administratively.
簡要小結有二：1. 職業運動員作為勞動者的權利凌駕于他們所參加比賽的完整性；2. 由冠狀病毒引起的情況開辟了一個充滿可能性的新世界，未來必須通過合同、法規和行政管理手段進行規制。
Ⅱ. How are sports sponsorships?
二、體育贊助營銷將何去何從？
Sports sponsorship is a sector that has not stopped growing in recent years. This 2020 has been a strong blow at a global level and significant losses are expected for certain brands in the sector. This new circumstance will affect certain current sponsorships and will open the door to new sponsors.
體育贊助營銷領域近年來持續增長。但毫無疑問，2020年該領域在全球范圍內都受到沉重的打擊，部分品牌預計將蒙受重大損失。這種新情況會影響當前的贊助商，但也為新的贊助商打開大門。
To date, companies sponsoring clubs or sports competitions in Spain have acted patiently and quietly in claiming reductions or refunds of sponsorship fees from their sponsored parties. However, it is only a matter of time - as is already the case in the United States, England, Germany or Italy - before several of these sponsors make demands for reduction or refund of sponsorship fees due to contractual considerations or applicable law which, in the case of the Spanish law, offers mechanisms to request from the moderation of the sponsorship fee to the early termination of the sponsorship contract by the sponsor.
迄今為止，西班牙俱樂部或體育賽事的大部分贊助商在向其受贊助方要求降低或退還贊助費方面仍然保持寬容和克制。但是這僅僅是時間的問題——正如美國、英國、德國或意大利已經發生的——這些贊助商未來必將根據合同約因或者現行法律法規主張贊助費的降低或退還。在西班牙法體系下，現行法律規定提供了從要求調整贊助費金額到提前終止贊助合同的各類救濟機制。
When sports events are postponed and/or temporally suspended, sponsors -either of a club, event or athlete- lose visibility and the object of the contract is indeed frustrated. It should not be forgotten that sports sponsorship is much more than brand visibility, and that the cancellation of events or competitions or, where appropriate, their hosting without an audience affects the sponsorship itself. Although there are ways to keep sports sponsorship activated these days thanks to technology and social networks, the return on investment in sports sponsorship (the so-called "ROI") decreases. As an example, several sponsors use sports sponsorship as a tool to build customer loyalty or to attract new customers, actions that disappear completely in the current scenario and will most likely remain inactive both in the short and medium-term after the Covid-19.
當體育賽事被推遲或暫時中止，俱樂部、體育活動或運動員的贊助商便喪失了曝光度，也即合同的目的落空。值得注意的是，體育贊助絕對不僅僅是為了品牌曝光度，在某種程度上，取消賽事或者沒有現場觀眾本身即會損害贊助營銷。盡管近來有了借助信息技術和社交網絡來保持體育贊助營銷活動熱度的方法，但是體育贊助營銷活動的投資回報率（所謂的“ROI”）依然有所下降。例如，一些贊助商將體育贊助作為一種工具來建立客戶忠誠度或吸引新客戶，這些效果在當前情況下會完全消失，并且很可能在Covid-19疫情之后的中短期內都難以恢復。
In sponsorship contracts, force majeure clauses and solutions for both parties are usually established. In the contract, both parties "play on the same team", and therefore the most beneficial thing would be to reach an agreement. Therefore, despite the negative impact that Covid-19 has in the short term for both sponsor and sponsored party, it will be convenient to analyze the contract, the sponsorship situation and make a joint strategy in the medium-long term.
不可抗力條款及其后果安排在贊助合同中是常見條款。但在合同中，因為雙方實際上“同隊參賽”，因此，最符合雙方利益的事情其實是協議解決。盡管Covid-19疫情在短期內對贊助商和受贊助方都有負面影響，但分析合同內容、評估贊助情況和制定中長期共贏戰略仍應是主要思路。
In the case of sports events postponed to a certain date in 2021, it would be best to agree - if not already provided for by contract - on an automatic extension of the rights and obligations of the sponsorship contract until a date later than the date of the event. Both the sponsor and the sponsored party have already made a significant investment, and breaking the sponsorship would only entail a loss for both. However, contractually, the new extension scenario must be well regulated, to avoid possible claims in case of failure to meet expectations.
如果體育賽事推遲到2021年的某個日期，最佳策略是就自動延長贊助合同的權利和義務至該日期后達成一致意見（如果合同未作事先約定）。贊助商和受贊助方都已經進行了巨額投入，而中斷贊助只會導致兩敗俱傷。但是合同必須對延期方案進行周密的規定，以避免在預期落空的情況下的潛在索賠。
Ⅲ. How to refocus TV/audiovisual rights?
三、如何重新聚焦電視/視聽權？
It is clear to everyone that television revenues are a fundamental pillar of what professional sport collects, and the sports industry in Spain is no stranger to this. From a sports industry perspective and concerning those competitions/tournaments where TV rights are the major source of revenue, "the current season must be finished no matter what", not only for sporting reasons (promotions, relegations, qualification for future competitions) but above all for purely economic reasons.
眾所周知，電視收益是職業體育經濟的基本支柱，西班牙也不例外。從體育產業的角度和關注來看，對于那些以電視轉播權為主要收入來源的比賽/錦標賽，“無論如何，本賽季都必須打完！”——這當然不僅僅出于體育事業（升級、降級或是未來參賽的資格）的考慮，純粹的經濟因素才是最大的動因。
Television and/or audiovisual rights contracts usually establish payment calendars, with a first payment before the start of the season and the remaining payments upon compliance of certain agreed milestones during the season. Therefore, in most professional competitions there are still payments to be met, but as the competitions are suspended, these will not be paid until they are resumed or at least, if payment is claimed, the television has cause to withhold it.
電視或視聽權合同通常會設定付款時間表：在賽季開始前支付首款，并于賽季過程中重要時間節點完成時支付尾款。因此，對于大多數專業賽事，費用支付義務將會產生，但是由于比賽被推遲，相應款項僅當賽事恢復后才能繼續被支付——即便被訴求支付，至少電視臺也有正當理由暫緩支付。
Generally, television rights contracts include force majeure clauses and even in the case of major sporting events or competitions, causes for suspension or cancellation are already provided for. Contrary to what public opinion may perceive, TV/media companies and/or platforms that bid for such audiovisual rights are few and far between and are very limited by the economic volume of these contracts, not to mention that the sale of these rights is established in a medium-long-term. For all these reasons, there is no point in starting a lawsuit, since it would be counterproductive to try to collect payments now and then break off relations. The key is to find a balance.
一般而言，電視轉播權合同中包含不可抗力條款。即便是大型體育活動或賽事，推遲或取消的具體事由往往已經提前在合同中規定。與普通人所猜測的正好相反的是，受限于這類合同的經濟體量，參與競爭這類視聽權利的電視/媒體公司或平臺為數極少更別提這類權利的出售往往是中長期合作。基于此，提起訴訟意義甚微，因為現在竭澤而漁地催收款然后中斷合作關系只會適得其反。關鍵是要找到平衡。
In conclusion, focusing on the short-term consequences, renegotiation of TV/media contracts is expected to come over and over and either to be downgraded or the duration or rights granted to be extended, since cash constraints are looming for audiovisual rights operators, as it happens in other industries.
總而言之，在接下來的一段時間內，電視/媒體合同的重新談判將反復進行，或者降低相應費用，或者延長合同期限或授權——視聽權的經營者的資金緊缺迫在眉睫，一如其它行業中業已發生的。
Ⅳ. Will opportunities arise to invest in the Sports Industry?
四、依然有投資體育產業的機會嗎？
It is anticipated that several clubs or S.A.D.'s in the professional leagues will suffer economically and financially to maintain their structure and level of competition. Although both international federations (e.g. FIFA) and national federations (e.g. RFEF) have announced financial support for their members, so far everything remains a proposal, although hopefully sooner than later will come. It is almost certain that this will not be enough to alleviate the delicate economic situation in which several clubs or S.A.D.'s in Spain may find themselves.
不難預料，職業聯賽中的一些俱樂部或S.A.D.將會為維持其組織結構和競賽水平而面臨經濟和財務上的巨大壓力。國際聯盟（如FIFA）和國內協會（如RFEF）已宣布將為其成員提供財務支持。盡管或早或晚這些會被付諸行動，目前這一切尚停留在提案環節。但幾乎可以肯定的是，這些根本不足以緩和西班牙的數家俱樂部或S.A.D.即將面臨的尷尬財務困境。
As a result of the anomalous economic situation that Covid-19 will leave to the clubs, some of them will become insolvent, that is, they will not be able to meet their main payment obligations, including the salaries of their players. For this reason, the club owners will seek financing on the market, opening the door to new investors in the club or even considering its sale. Those who do not succeed in their financing or sales campaign will be forced into an insolvency proceeding in the medium term. In fact, Spain already had a boom in insolvency proceedings in football (more than 20 insolvency proceedings between 2008 and 2014), which has led to a change in the shareholder structure of many S.A.D. Hence, it is not a bit too much to suppose that a similar effect may occur in the medium term after Covid-19.
由于Covid-19導致的各俱樂部的財務困難，其中一些或將資不抵債。這些俱樂部將難以負擔其付款義務，包括支付給球員的薪水。因此，這些俱樂部的所有者將在市場上尋求融資，為俱樂部的新投資人廣開大門——甚至考慮出售俱樂部。那些未能成功融資或被收購的輸家將在不久的未來被迫進入破產程序。事實上，西班牙足球行業的破產程序已經熱門了起來（2008年至2014年間發生20多宗破產程序案件），這導致許多S.A.D.的股東結構發生了變化。因此，不難預測在Covid-19疫情之后的中等期限內，類似的影響將持續發生。
In addition to football and other team sports, Spain has a large number of sports facilities and/or properties (golf courses, tennis academies, paddle courts, sports arenas, circuits/tracks, football academies, etc.) which, due to their privileged geographical location and climate, are attractive investment property assets, mainly for foreigners. Besides, owners and/or right-holders of sports events in Spain may consider going out into the foreign market to attract investment for their competitions.
除了足球和其他團體運動之外，西班牙還擁有大量的體育設施和場所（高爾夫球場、網球學院、板球場、運動場、賽道/跑道、足球學院等）。鑒于西班牙優越的地理位置和氣候條件，這些對外國人來說是很有吸引力的物業資產。此外，西班牙體育賽事的所有者和/或權利人也會考慮踏入國外市場為賽事吸引投資。
Therefore, the challenge facing the sports industry in Spain will be to ensure and facilitate the entry of new "players" in order to have a more robust and strong industry.
因此，西班牙體育產業面臨的挑戰將是確保并促成新“玩家”進場，以保障全行業的繁榮興盛。
Ⅴ. What does this period of confinement mean for e-sports?
五、隔離期對電子競技意味著什么？
Where some have a serious problem and lose, see traditional sport, the e-Sports sector has a great opportunity to continue to grow. Despite this, the Covid-19 has also stopped its competitions with a live audience. Thus, there are many more potential spectators online, through the different digital streaming platforms, but professional events have been reduced. This is an opportunity to promote competitions held from home or to bring this world closer to the reality of sports, carrying out campaigns like the recent ones, of LaLiga players playing FIFA in a charity tournament or NBA players doing the same with the 2K game of basketball and broadcasting some of these duels even on TV (ESPN in the United States). Some of the Moto GP riders also ran the first-ever virtual Mto GP Race. The Coronavirus affectation is temporary and initiatives like the ones mentioned above, serve to keep the flame in the fans.
當傳統體育行業舉步維艱、日漸迷失之時，電子競技行業卻面臨了發展壯大的絕佳機會。當然，Covid-19疫情一視同仁地阻卻了現場觀賽的觀眾。因此，即便大量的潛在觀眾通過不同的數字流媒體平臺涌到線上，專業賽事數量依然有所下降。這是推廣在自家即可參與的賽事，或將全世界更加聚集到運動的好機會。諸如組織西甲球員在慈善錦標賽中玩FIFA足球，組織NBA球員在2K籃球游戲中進行NBA比賽，甚至將這些對決在電視上播出（正如美國娛樂體育節目電視網已經在嘗試的）。一些Moto GP賽車手還參加了有史以來首次虛擬Mto GP競速賽。雖然冠狀病毒只是暫時性的，但前述這類創新將長期點燃粉絲們的熱情。
As an example, sports betting companies that have suffered a significant drop in income due to the cancellation or suspension of sports competitions (football, basketball, tennis, golf, Moto GP, F1, etc.), in their search for alternatives, are making greater agreements and/or collaborations within e-sports, in these times in which the consumption of internet, online games and video games is the order of the day.
春江水暖鴨先知，由于取消或推遲體育賽事（足球、籃球、網球、高爾夫、Moto GP、F1等等）而導致收入大幅下降的體育博彩公司正在積極尋找替代方案，比如在電子競技領域達成更廣泛的協議和/或合作——互聯網、線上游戲和電視游戲的消費正是當今之世熱點中的熱點。
On a legal level, this situation is an opportunity to professionalize even more from a merely legal and contractual perspective this industry, as well as to legally advise those stakeholders of traditional sports to form their e-Sports division.
從法律層面而言，現狀為我們提供了至少從法規和合同角度進一步推進行業專業化和建議傳統體育行業的金主們打造他們的電子競技部門的極佳機會。