Copyright in SP and racetimes etc

[mulls74]

Forgive the gap between posts but I thought I would see if any of the sages on here would help me.
I need to know if post-race information like SP, winning distances and race times etc are subject to copyright.
I know pre-race data is but I can’t find any information about the post-race info.
I ask because I would like to run a regular feature in Racing Ahead magazine looking at horses that were backed but didn’t win their races. To do it properly, we would have to quote their SP and the distance beaten. We would gather the information ourselves from a range of sources.
If anyone can help it would be much appreciated.

[Steeplechasing]

With the disclaimer that I’m not a lawyer, I’d say these facts are in the public domain. As far as I know they are reported then disseminated by the Press Association. The likes of the Post would have a contract to pay the PA for a general data feed but I doubt they’d specifically have a price for SPs and distances.

[GoldenMiller34]

And to be extra safe you could list sources at the end of your feature.

[wit]

as regards the position in England and Wales on copyright in sports results:

for a detailed overview, read this judgement:

http://www.bailii.org/ew/cases/EWCA/Civ/2013/27.html

for quicker but less precise general overviews [but note these were posted before the Court of Appeal decision above]:

https://www.copyrightaid.co.uk/forum/topic1403.htm

https://www.copyrightaid.co.uk/forum/topic139.htm

basically there is no copyright in facts, but in effect there is a like protection for databases.

you need to understand what you can and cannot do in terms of extracting from a database that has cost someone time and/or money to compile – even if all that is in the database (ie its elements) are each bits of information that do not themselves attract copyright protection.

p.s. Joe, in the context of copyright “public domain” means that copyright has expired eg because the creator of the work died over 70 years ago. it is not the same “public domain” as in the law on confidentiality, where it means public knowledge.

[Cancello]

I would expect it would be OK if you included the source in the article eg. ‘ I wanted to find out if a pattern emerged for the future, with well backed horses who were beaten in races run in a fastar than standard time, so using Techform Interactive I bla bla bla….’

[Steeplechasing]

That’s useful, wit, thank you. The thread you linked to is very interesting. The legal profession takes its share of abuse, but I guess, like the knowledgeable commenter on that forum (not to mention your own contributions here), there are many who offer guidance free of charge in their area of interest.

[mulls74]

Thanks – that’s very helpful.

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