Fundamentals Guide
How sports licensing works — key players, deal structures, royalty mechanics and what rights holders expect.
10 professional resources built from real deal experience — covering royalties, minimum guarantees, territories, contracts and negotiations.
10 professional resources designed for businesses that want to understand sports licensing without expensive consultancy.
How sports licensing works — key players, deal structures, royalty mechanics and what rights holders expect.
Model deal scenarios and projected earnings across multiple sales forecasts before you commit to anything.
Industry benchmark rates across 15+ product categories with Tier 1/2/3 ranges and key negotiation drivers.
50-point checklist covering every commercial clause to review before you sign a licensing agreement.
A fully structured Word document for approaching rights holders — fill in the brackets and you're ready to send.
Map your rights, distribution channels and key retailer targets market by market.
Model minimum guarantees, break-even points and quarterly payment schedules across a 4-year deal.
37 dangerous clauses to spot before you sign — with safer alternatives and plain-English explanations.
How to renegotiate better terms at renewal — leverage, timing, what to ask for and how to handle an exit.
A week-by-week checklist covering everything from first research to signed deal — no step skipped.
One-time purchase. Instant digital access. No subscription.
Enter your projected sales and royalty rate to get an instant estimate. No sign-up required.
A simplified estimate. Actual royalties vary based on your net sales definition, permitted deductions and contract terms. The full toolkit includes a detailed royalty model with multiple scenario planning.
Want to model minimum guarantees, break-even and 4-year projections? Get the complete MG Calculator →
Whether you're assessing your first deal or preparing for renewal negotiations, the toolkit gives you a structured approach.
Assess whether a licensing opportunity is commercially viable before approaching a rights holder or committing to product development.
Understand the real mechanics of sports licensing — royalties, minimums, territories, approvals — before investing time and money.
Structure licensing opportunities across properties, categories and markets. Build proposals that get taken seriously.
Prepare watertight business cases, negotiate with confidence and ensure your contracts protect your commercial position.
I'm Jake Howells — a former professional footballer turned sports licensing professional with over 10 years of industry experience. I've spent my career inside the commercial side of sport: negotiating royalty rates, minimum guarantees, territory terms and category rights across some of the world's biggest sports properties.
The Sports Licensing Playbook was built from that experience — not theory, not observation. The frameworks in this toolkit are the ones I've actually used to structure and assess deals. Refined through real negotiations, real rights holder conversations and real retailer ranging across the UK, Europe and North America.
If you want to go further than the toolkit — to work through your specific opportunity with someone who's been deep inside this industry — I'm available to help directly.
Direct access to 30+ years of sports licensing experience. Choose the level of support that fits where you are.
A focused call on your specific situation — a deal you're evaluating, a rights holder you're approaching, or a contract you need to sense-check. Bring your questions, leave with clear direction.
Book by EmailFour hours of advisory time per month — calls, document review, email Q&A. Right for businesses actively working deals, in live negotiations, or building a licensing programme.
Get in TouchA defined engagement — reviewing a licensing agreement, benchmarking royalty rates, or building the framework for a new category launch. Full brief agreed before we start.
Discuss a ProjectSend a short email outlining your opportunity — the property, product category and where you are in the process. I'll respond within two working days and we can figure out the right level of support together. No pitch, no obligation.
20 minutes · No charge · sportslicensingplaybook@gmail.com
Everything you need to assess, structure and negotiate a sports licensing deal — in one digital package.
Get the Sports Licensing Toolkit — £49Instant digital access · No subscription · 10 professional resources