The Harmonization Game: What Basketball Can Teach About Intellectual Property and International Trade

In the recent World Men's Basketball Championships in Indianapolis, Team USA found out painfully that the international game is very different from what they play at home and that the gap between USA Basketball and the rest of the world has been closing. While their losses might have a significant impact on how the United States prepares for the 2004 Olympics in Athens and on how Americans train youngsters to play basketball, their teachings go beyond basketball. The international harmonization process is a game with different rules, different officials, and players with different visions and mindsets. By watching how players interact with rules, officials, and other players, one therefore could gain insight into globalization and the international harmonization process. This Article brings together two leading American exports - laws and basketball - and discusses how the recent losses by Team USA might offer valuable lessons on intellectual property and international trade.