Can you sell pictures of Major League Baseball players without written consent of MLB?

I take awesome pictures at baseball games and I want to know if it is legal to sell them without some sort of permission. How would you get the permission of MLB?

Public Comments

1. I'm 85% sure you can
2. If the pictures are takin with your camera you own the pic 100% so you have the right to do what you want with them
3. I have to question you making money by selling the images of the ballplayers (legally). Most of the players are protected by union. I know the baseball card companies pay the union for the legal right to sell the image AND they pay MLB for the right to display the logos. You could probably sell them at a swap meet and go virtually undetected. Folks, you can take all the pictures you want and collect them for life. This is perfectly legal. When you start making MONEY at it, you cross into a different world of legality. I guarantee if you mass produced your pictures, opened up a shop and sell these images on a large enough scale for the union or MLB to make it worth their time, they will sue you. I was a small business trading card store owner for 15 yrs. Here's what I know. Both Ted Williams and Maury Wills threatened to sue Topps for depicting their images on cards in the Topps baseball card set because neither of them were in the union. Topps needed to buy the rights to their images independently ... they knew this and backed down. Players may be fussy about someone exploiting their popularity. They have legal recourse. The question asked if it would be legal to sell the photos. I'm saying no, (although it may go to litigation) but it's highly unlikely that anyone would pursue the matter. The matter to that which you refer is called pirating. Photos in newspapers belong to "UP or AP" ... typically. They have paid for the rights to have the photos published. The illegal apparels that you may find at a swap meet are a good example. They aren't licensed but look authentic, cost less but those ppl are playing w/ fire.. I guarantee MLB and/or their union will say what you propose to do is illegal. You wouldn't stand a chance in court (if it were cost effective for them to pursue it). Think about it, why would any one be able to make money for free, that others pay to make money at? edit It's interesting how someone will TD my answer yet not submit a counter claim to dispute what I say.
4. yes the only thing you cant do is record a game and sell it
5. If you have taken the pictures with your own camera then im pretty sure that you can.