[Albion] Brighton hoping to join with West Brom and Burton in bid to trademark the word 'Albion'

[dsr-burnley]

Witton Albion were formed in 1887. Leave them out of the cartel, and you might find that a successful Brighton-Burton-WBA Albion-grab gets superseded by the earlier claimant and Brighton & Hove are no longer Albioned!

 

[clapham_gull]

The one word isn't Albion. it's "embarrassing" and I hope this isn't true.

 

[NorthstandRacoon]

Of course, didnt think about this, it could affect local business. Hope this is laughed off. Selfish twattery.

 

[brighton terra]

There are loads of companies incorporating the word Albion .....including mine!!

 

[Juan Albion]

Seems a little perfidious.

 

[Wozza]

Disagree with this. Albion has historical connecontions far beyond and more important than our football club.

The club is not claiming ownership of the word - that's not how trademarks work.

They will be claiming (joint) trademarks in relation to specific categories. I would guess: sport and sportswear.

So, if they win the trademark, the club would be able to call in laywers if, for example, a sportswear company launched an 'Albion' range.

But they wouldn't be able to stop, say, a new drink called Albion (well, unless it was a sports drink).

Not sure if you can claim a trademark in a specific area - eg block any businesses in Brighton using the Albion name. That kebab shop is on dodgy ground already, using the Albion name and a Seagull.

IIRC, if you own a trademark, you have to protect it. If you don't prosecute when other businesses use it, you may lose your claim to ownership.

BTW, the categories thing is why Oasis legally co-exists as an unrelated shop, drink and band.

See also: Apple Corp (record company) and Apple (tech company). The latter wasn't allowed to dabble with music, but they cheekily named their start-up sound sosueme. Things got messy when tech company launched iTunes/iPod.

Anyway...

 

[dsr-burnley]

Years back, the Albert Hall (Londom) sued a man in New Zealand who had a band he called the Albert Hall Orchestra. The Albert Hall (London) lost on two grounds - one, that the bloke was actually called Albert Hall; two, that the Albert Hall (London) didn't have an orchestra so they couldn't be confused.

McDonalds (USA) sued a man called McDonald in Scotland who ran a burger van, to make him change his name. But as his father and grandfather had also run the van under that name, they lost.

 

[BeHereNow]

I thought we copied West Brom

even down to the blue & white stripes

Possibly, but...

When did we start using blue and white deckchairs? In all seriousness though, the Brighton coat of arms is blue and white.

Also, there is Albion Street (named after a hulk called Albion in Southwick) which goes straight to the Royal Albion hotel on the seafront (not sure if that was named before or after the club), so maybe the name came from there. Plus, there is Albion Hill.

The club was founded as Brighton & Hove United, but changed to Albion because of objections from Hove FC.

In a way, the Brighton & Hove bit is just the location, the Albion bit is the club’s football name.

 

[Perfidious Albion]

Seems a little perfidious.

Thanks for the name check!

Complicated matter . I believe Cheddar cheese cannot be sold apart from that made in Cheddar, and did not Iceland (the country) take action against Iceland the retailer ? .
Have to wait and see how it pans out.
Fans protection? Do you really think fans dont know when they chose to buy Albion
stuff cheap on line or in the street?

 

[Icy Gull]

Anyone would think the club were selling decent quality stuff. For the most part it’s just tat which is what the fake stuff is too. So we are looking to make Tat only available from the club?

Rather than protecting the income from fans on tat maybe the club should look at selling quality stuff, just a thought.

 

[Wozza]

Anyone would think the club were selling decent quality stuff. For the most part it’s just tat which is what the fake stuff is too. So we are looking to make Tat only available from the club?

It's to stop other businesses making money off the name/association.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

Anyone would think the club were selling decent quality stuff. For the most part it’s just tat which is what the fake stuff is too. So we are looking to make Tat only available from the club?

Rather than protecting the income from fans on tat maybe the club should look at selling quality stuff, just a thought.

Quite.
The club should hang its head in shame at some of the rubbish it sells. It smacks of...' don't worry...the fans will buy anything ' attitude.

 

[Tesco in Disguise]

The club is not claiming ownership of the word - that's not how trademarks work.

They will be claiming (joint) trademarks in relation to specific categories. I would guess: sport and sportswear.

So, if they win the trademark, the club would be able to call in laywers if, for example, a sportswear company launched an 'Albion' range.

But they wouldn't be able to stop, say, a new drink called Albion (well, unless it was a sports drink).

Not sure if you can claim a trademark in a specific area - eg block any businesses in Brighton using the Albion name. That kebab shop is on dodgy ground already, using the Albion name and a Seagull.

IIRC, if you own a trademark, you have to protect it. If you don't prosecute when other businesses use it, you may lose your claim to ownership.

BTW, the categories thing is why Oasis legally co-exists as an unrelated shop, drink and band.

See also: Apple Corp (record company) and Apple (tech company). The latter wasn't allowed to dabble with music, but they cheekily named their start-up sound sosueme. Things got messy when tech company launched iTunes/iPod.

Anyway...

The ground that kebab shop is on is not as dodgy as my stomach is after eating there. I'd rather eat actual seagulls.

Sent from my HD1903 using Tapatalk

 

[Barham's tash]

Sadly this action will be as a result of a club retained lawyer looking to justify their worth and retention and is not likely to be a result of genuine protection for fans.

I can’t see, even with us being in the Prem, there are millions of items of counterfeit goods out there besmirching the good name Albion.

If there were does anyone know the size of royalties we could could likely ask of any manufacturers/retailers? No idea how this stuff works.

 

[Mo Gosfield]

There are plenty of ' Albion ' pubs, taverns and hotels around the country. At least 5-6 in London, alone. It is a terrible suggestion by the club and I hope they ditch the idea asap.

 

[sparkie]

Sadly this action will be as a result of a club retained lawyer looking to justify their worth and retention and is not likely to be a result of genuine protection for fans.

I can’t see, even with us being in the Prem, there are millions of items of counterfeit goods out there besmirching the good name Albion.

If there were does anyone know the size of royalties we could could likely ask of any manufacturers/retailers? No idea how this stuff works.

Surely albion lawyers are snowed under at the moment with researching case law and preparing legal argument should the Albion be relegated after an incomplete season without a full 38 games being played ?

As well as providing advice on club liabilities and insurance issues on Coronavirus in the workplace ?

I can't believe they are actively looking to create more work in what is hardly a slack period.

 

[Icy Gull]

It's to stop other businesses making money off the name/association.

Of course but if the quality of the stuff the club sold was superior to street vendors it would be a move in the right direction!

I guess I’m just saying that they should be as interested in not ripping off fans as the people they are trying to stop are doing the same, i.e ripping off fans.

Tat is tat, who can blame fans for buying the cheapest tat?

 

[Justice]

If you spend on some designer clothes 9/10 the cut & thread count is far superior than Primark, the stuff they sell in the club shop is Primark quality sold at designer prices.

 

[dejavuatbtn]

Anyone would think the club were selling decent quality stuff. For the most part it’s just tat which is what the fake stuff is too. So we are looking to make Tat only available from the club?

Rather than protecting the income from fans on tat maybe the club should look at selling quality stuff, just a thought.

Nothing quite like having a monopoly on tat. This will ensure that Albiōn fans will look the part.

 

[WhingForPresident]

Jesus, what has our club become?