The Ground Terms of Service

Last Updated: December 8, 2025

Welcome to The Ground ("The Ground," "we," "us," or "our"), a social sports and wellness community platform operating under the domain theground.io and its associated mobile applications (collectively, the "Services").

These Terms of Service ("Terms") govern your access to and use of The Ground Services. By accessing or using the Services, you agree to be bound by these Terms. If you do not agree to these Terms, you may not access or use the Services.

1. Acceptance of Terms

The Services are provided to help social sports and wellness communities in Hong Kong connect, grow, and manage events. You acknowledge that you are at least 18 years of age or have legal parental or guardian consent to enter into these Terms.

2. User Accounts and Eligibility

• Registration: To access certain features, you must register for an account. You agree to provide accurate, current, and complete information during the registration process and to update such information to keep it accurate, current, and complete.
• Account Security: You are responsible for safeguarding your password and for all activities that occur under your account. The Ground cannot and will not be liable for any loss or damage arising from your failure to maintain the security of your account.
• User ID Display: For multi-user functionality and community interaction, we may display your User ID (or a similar unique identifier) on the platform.

3. Use of the Services

You agree not to use the Services for any purpose that is illegal or prohibited by these Terms, including but not limited to:

• Posting violent, discriminatory, unlawful, hateful, or sexually suggestive content.
• Infringing upon the rights of The Ground or any third party, including intellectual property rights.
• Engaging in spamming, phish-ing, or distributing viruses or other harmful code.

4. Community and Content

• Your Content: You retain ownership of all Content (text, photos, media) that you post, upload, or transmit through the Services. You grant The Ground a non-exclusive, royalty-free, worldwide license to use, host, reproduce, modify, and display your Content solely for the purpose of operating and promoting the Services.
• Community Standards: The Ground is a platform for genuine sports and wellness communities. We reserve the right, but not the obligation, to remove any Content that violates our community standards or these Terms.

5. Physical Activity, Liability, and Organizer Duties (Crucial Section)

5.1 Liability Disclaimer

YOU ACKNOWLEDGE AND AGREE THAT ALL SPORTS, FITNESS, AND WELLNESS ACTIVITIES ARRANGED OR FACILITATED THROUGH THE GROUND CARRY INHERENT RISKS OF PROPERTY DAMAGE, PERSONAL INJURY, OR DEATH.

• Assumption of Risk: You voluntarily participate in any event at your own risk. You are solely responsible for ensuring that you are physically fit and properly equipped for the activities you choose to attend.
• Disclaimer: The Ground expressly disclaims all liability for any loss, injury, or damage sustained by any person as a result of participation in any event or activity listed on the Services. You agree to release and hold harmless The Ground from any and all claims related to physical injury or property damage.

5.2 Organizer Responsibilities

If you are an organizer or community owner:

• You are solely responsible for the planning, safety, and execution of your events, including venue suitability and appropriate supervision.
• You must maintain accurate attendance records.
• We strongly recommend that Organizers and all participants obtain appropriate personal liability and health insurance coverage relevant to the activities they organize or attend.

6. Financial Terms and Payment

The following payment terms apply to organizers and attendees using The Ground for transactions:

• Current Model: The Ground is currently free to use for organizers and communities.
• Future Transaction Fee: You acknowledge that The Ground reserves the right to introduce a 5% payment processing fee on all transactions processed through the platform (e.g., ticket sales, membership fees). This fee will typically be charged to the Organizer, and the Organizer is responsible for communicating this fee to attendees.
• Subscription: The Ground may offer future subscription tiers for organizers to unlock advanced features and potentially reduce the transaction fee.
• Payment Processor: All payments are processed by third-party payment providers (e.g., Stripe). The Ground is not responsible for any issues or disputes arising from the third-party payment processor's services.
• Refunds and Cancellations: Organizers are solely responsible for their event-specific refund and cancellation policies. The Ground is not responsible for issuing or processing attendee refunds; all refund requests must be directed to the Organizer.

7. Intellectual Property

The Services, including all text, graphics, logos, and software, are the exclusive property of The Ground and are protected by copyright, trademark, and other intellectual property laws.

8. Indemnification

You agree to indemnify, defend, and hold harmless The Ground and its officers, directors, and employees from and against any and all claims, liabilities, damages, losses, costs, and expenses (including legal fees) arising out of or related to: (a) your access to or use of the Services; (b) your violation of these Terms; or (c) your activity or participation in any event facilitated through the Services.

9. Termination

We may terminate or suspend your account and deny access to the Services immediately, without prior notice or liability, for any reason, including if you breach these Terms.

10. Governing Law, Jurisdiction, and Dispute Resolution

• Governing Law: These Terms are governed by and construed in accordance with the laws of the Hong Kong Special Administrative Region.
• Dispute Resolution: In the event of any dispute arising under these Terms, the parties agree to first attempt to resolve the dispute through good-faith negotiation. If the dispute cannot be resolved informally, the parties agree to enter into mediation in Hong Kong before pursuing litigation.
• Jurisdiction: You agree that any legal action or proceeding arising out of or relating to these Terms will be brought exclusively in the courts of Hong Kong.

11. Changes to Terms

We reserve the right to modify these Terms at any time. We will notify you of any material changes by posting the new Terms on the Services or through email. Your continued use constitutes acceptance of the revised Terms.

12. Contact Information

If you have any questions about these Terms of Service, please contact us at:

• Email: info@theground.io
• Location: Hong Kong

‍