Celebrating the 2026 World IP Day “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate”
Apr 28, 2026
On April 22, the Property Rights Alliance commemorated World Intellectual Property Day 2026 by launching a global open letter to World Intellectual Property Organization Director General Daren Tang. The initiative brought together an international coalition of 93 think tanks and advocacy groups spanning 42 countries, demonstrating the broad global consensus that strong intellectual property protections remain the cornerstone of innovation and economic growth.
This year’s World IP Day theme, “IP and Sports: Ready, Set, Innovate”, underscores how intellectual property plays a critical role in industries far beyond traditional technology sectors. Sports today intersect with fashion, entertainment, media, consumer products, gaming, and health innovation. From patented performance-enhancing athletic equipment to trademarked team brands, copyrighted broadcasts, and innovative wearable technologies, intellectual property protections help fuel the modern sports economy.
The letter was presented by Lorenzo Montanari, executive director of the Property Rights Alliance, on April 22 during a roundtable discussion hosted by MEP Stefano Cavedagna (ECR) inside the European Parliament. The roundtable featured presentations by John Cabeca, COO of Council for Innovation Promotion (C4IP), a bipartisan think tank based in Washington, DC, and by Prof. Cesare Galli, Chair of Intellectual Property Rights at the University of Parma.
In its letter, PRA emphasized that intellectual property rights protect innovative original ideas and ensure creators are rewarded for their contributions. These protections encourage entrepreneurs and businesses to take risks and bring new ideas to the market. The coalition also dispels the narrative that intellectual property rights limit innovation or disproportionately benefit large corporations. In fact, IP systems empower individuals and businesses of all sizes by protecting their work.
According to the 2025 International Property Rights Index, the 126 countries included in the report represent 93% of the world’s population and account for 98% of global GDP. The report found that the average per capita income in top-performing countries is 21 times higher than in countries ranking in the bottom quintile. It also identified strong correlations between secure property rights and broader measures of prosperity.
In the United States, IP-intensive industries support approximately 62.5 million jobs and contribute $7.8 trillion to the U.S. economy. Workers in these sectors often earn higher wages, benefit from stronger job stability, and gain access to specialized training opportunities. Additionally, intellectual property now accounts for roughly 70% of the value of publicly traded companies, highlighting how deeply innovation and intangible assets are embedded in the modern economy.
The coalition also highlighted intellectual property’s role in healthcare innovation. Strong patent protections help drive pharmaceutical research and development by giving companies confidence that they can recoup their investments in costly research. Over the past several decades, these protections have given people access to hundreds of life-saving medicines.
As global innovation continues to accelerate, PRA’s message resonates far beyond World IP Day. Intellectual property protections are perhaps the most important factor that drives economic opportunity and improves the quality of life. By maintaining strong protections for innovators, policymakers can help ensure that future breakthroughs continue to benefit people around the world.