What USC’s Copyright Settlement Means for College Athletics Compliance

Sep 18, 2026

By: Katelyn Kohler, Esq. A copyright dispute between Sony Music Entertainment and the University of Southern California quietly closed this spring, but the underlying facts leave athletic departments across the country with a clear warning where game footage rights do not equate to music synchronization rights, and confusing the two carries multi-million-dollar exposure. History of Litigation Sony filed suit against USC in March 2025, alleging that USC's athletics program posted 283 videos acros

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