Ray Van Dyke does it again, hosting the LES USA & Canada celebration of World IP Day with a stellar line-up of speakers around the theme of IP and Sports. The event on April 24, 2026 brought together voices from across the sports and IP universe. (See side-bar on his process.)

In sports, cutting-edge equipment, team identities, and broadcasts of unforgettable sporting moments: IP is key to protecting and promoting the inventions, designs, brands and stories that drive this world. It’s also a powerful force that inspires athletes and unites fans everywhere.

Let’s take a look at the impressive lineup of speakers:

  • Raymond Van Dyke, Attorney, LES Sr. VP, Special Events & Washington, DC Chapter Chair (Moderator)
  • Michael Perham, President & Chair, LES USA & Canada
  • John Squires, Director, U.S. Patent and Trademark Office
  • Miriam Lord, Associate Register of Copyrights, U.S. Copyright Office
  • Tamika Tremaglio, Managing Director, Global Sports Practice at Secretariat
  • Sonia Chase, Associate Director at Secretariat, former WMBA player
  • Terry (Theresa) Rea, Consultant, Rea Consulting LLC
  • Peter-Anthony Pappas, Director of IP Policy, U.S. Senate Committee on the Judiciary
  • Laura Peter, Executive Director of IP & Tech Transfer, Univ. of North Carolina at Charlotte
  • Judge Paul Michel, Former Chief Judge, Federal Circuit
  • Brian Fried, Founder, National Inventors Club

Together, these speakers explored a range of topics surrounding IP.  They included copyright in various athletic pursuits such as E-Sports and broadcasting, and players needing to manage their brand. John Squires, Director of the USPTO, emphasized the role of IP in sports, including name, image and likeness (NIL) rights and trademarks. Miriam Lord discussed the US Copyright Office’s initiatives, including the Copyright Claims Board. Terry Rea and Judge Paul Michel discussed legislative efforts to strengthen IP laws, while Peter Anthony Pappas provided updates on current IP bills in Congress. Brian Fried showcased his efforts with the National Inventors Club.

Pro Basketball Conversation with Tamika Tremaglio and Sonia Chase

Ray introduced us to Tamika Tremaglio and Sonia Chase, both leaders in global sports consulting at Secretariat. Tamika’s background as a Director of the National Basketball Players Association and Sonia’s experience as a pro basketball player with the WNBA and Olympic Gold Medalist gave an insider’s look at IP in professional basketball.

Tamika points out, “We are at an unusual intersection…every broadcast, every brand, every piece of equipment is driving innovation and has become part of the value creation from an IP perspective.” She invited Sonia to provide her perspective.

“It’s a strange feeling to be on a panel today about NIL when, for most of my playing career, NIL did not exist. So the concept was just not there. When I was playing in the WMBA, we didn’t think about our name, image and likeness as something we actually owned or managed. We were really more concerned about performance. I know I was concerned about my stats and just making sure that my team won,” commented Sonia.

Back then, the value was there, but the systems and education were not. Sonia continued, “If you look at the women’s basketball pipeline right now, and of course, CC, we call her CC in the league, Caitlin Clark. She left Iowa as an all-time NCAA school leader and entered the W(NBA) with a personal brand that was, by some estimates, more valuable than several of the franchises in the actual league that she joined.”

This is an IP economy, says Sonia, “This gives attorneys and business professionals like us the opportunity to guide and advise on incredibly valuable assets that are out there.”

Tamika added, “And, while we were focused on where we are from a professional athlete standpoint, and the fact that more people are going to games. The reality is that you now have women joining the League who already have success in their own right. From that standpoint, I’m incredibly grateful that NIL exists and gives our women a platform to stand on.”

Sonia gave examples of student-athletes worth millions in NIL. It’s introduced a complex landscape, along with responsibilities that they and their advisors sometimes aren’t prepared for. She cited Arch Manning at Texas with a NIL of almost 7 million. She says, “Manning’s portfolio includes companies like EA Sports, Red Bull, and Uber. Each of those is a different deal structure with different exclusivity windows, category protections, and renewal triggers. The challenge is that many athletes are navigating 5, 6, or 10 of those agreements all at once, with no one tracking how they fit together. So that’s the real challenge.”

Tamika’s last question was about generative AI: “What concerns you the most about AI-driven use of likeness?” Sonia answered, “Control. That’s the biggest concern for me. How your likeness can now be used in ways that go beyond traditional media. It can be generated and distributed at scale, which is scary.” She continued, “Athletes need to be very clear about what they own and what they are licensing, especially in digital spaces.”

Their conversation summed up the theme of IP in Sports and the ways in which we need to get “Ready, Set, Innovate!” Ray concluded the session with, “On this 250th anniversary of our country, with the technology dominance that we have, I’m happy to note that our IP system is moving forward in the right way.”

LES Members can access a FREE recording of this webinar:

Webinar: LES 2026 World IP Day Celebration, April 24, 2026

2026-4-24 WEBINAR 2026 LES World IP Day Celebration – Licensing Executives Society (LES)

Ray Van Dyke* has been a key contributor to organizing events for the LES Chapter, Washington, D.C. A few years ago, he also added the World IP Day webinar events to his growing list of responsibilities. We sat down with Ray to learn more about his approach.

Q: How far in advance do you start planning?

A: As usual, I started planning World IP Day months in advance. But the serious problems coordinating with some government agencies this year consumed a lot of my time until they were resolved. I worked around the scheduling issues as best I could. Hopefully, it all looks seamless to attendees, but the little details can drive you mad if you let them.

Q: How do you decide on speakers?

A: To the best of my ability, I align the program with the theme for the year, but am not constrained by it.  If there are any persons or topics that are current, I try to work them in as well, along with wildcards.

Q: Where do you find your speakers?

A: I am active in other legal, government, and tech groups and also keep abreast of the issues in IP and tech, so I know the controversial issues and the players, as it were. I then reach out to them. Not all agree or are cooperative. My view is that we are all busy people, and if you cannot be a speaker, then I can wait. The secret is patience and diligence. I also leverage what I can. The Quantum Computing panel I ran a couple of months ago was built on efforts I did with the D.C. Wharton Club late last year.

Q: Do you send questions in advance?

A: I seldom have advance questions; almost all are ad lib. For example, if a speaker is scheduled for ten minutes, but finishes in only two. I need to tap dance with questions on the fly. I normally research and keep backup materials just in case.

Q: Any other secrets you’d like to share?

A: Finally, having help is always good. Jennifer Vanderhart (Chapter Vice-Chair) is a great help in a variety of ways. I also have an Advisory Council. My advice to chapter chairs is to be bold, but be consistent. Regular meetings are best. Now, we must adapt to changing times, preferences and conflicts. I have been lucky to develop a deep bench of possible speakers, but I am constantly searching for more. 

Raymond Van Dyke, Attorney, Van Dyke Intellectual Property Law & Consulting; LES Senior Vice President, Special Events & LES Washington, D.C. Chapter Chair.

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