Abstract
Recent years have witnessed increased instances of the EU courts being required to apply Articles 101 and 102 TFEU in disputes relating to the professional sports sector. While there are many complex questions around the substantive application of EU competition law to professional sports, it is also important to consider the procedural challenges. This paper shall examine some of the key challenges that arise with regard to procuring compliance of the sports sector with EU competition law and will consider possible regulatory models for confronting these challenges. It shall be proposed that a system of licensing governing bodies for individual sports would be preferable to the establishment of state regulators. Inter alia it would create a much more harmonious and healthy relationship between sports' governing bodies and competition regulators that would likely minimise disruption to the organisation and running of sporting competition.