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

[blue-shifted]

As my "local" club of the last 25 years. I've always had a soft spot for Brighton and have been to many matches over the years.
However, I may have to rethink whether I can ever go again if this goes ahead.


Joining forces with West B***? Disgusting.

Anything specific against West Brom?

I'd say the great majority see them as a decent football club with decent fans

 

[southdownswolf]

Anything specific against West Brom?

I'd say the great majority see them as a decent football club with decent fans

Might want to check my username...

 

[Seasider78]

If this is a move to protect unauthorised merchandising in the clubs name and helps them enforce that then it is an understandable step. I would be very surprised if this move is in anyway sinister and is probably being blown a bit out of proportion. IF the club win this and start using it in unjustified means then they will get and deserve the criticism that would come their way (including from their own fans) but I would be very surprised if this is their intention

 

[TheSullyShuffle]

No-one should be able to trademark "Albion" any more than they should be able to trademark "Saxon" or "Wessex". This is a petty and embarrassing move by the club. I hope it fails big time.

 

[Wozza]

No-one should be able to trademark "Albion" any more than they should be able to trademark "Saxon" or "Wessex".

Why? Because it's an historic word?

 

[zefarelly]

It's akin to attempting to copyright Water, or trademark oxygen.

 

[Wozza]

It's akin to attempting to copyright Water, or trademark oxygen.

No.

 

[A1X]

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.

I heard that about 20 years ago the Bluebell Railway received a letter from the American owners of the Thomas the Tank Engine brand that they had a locomotive in their collection which was based on the Thomas character "Stepney", and that they would be taken to court if they didn't change that pronto. They backed down after being told the engine pre-dated the books (never mind the TV series they made) by about 50 years and the character was based on their locomotive, not the other way round.

 

[Thunder Bolt]

It's akin to attempting to copyright Water, or trademark oxygen.

Copyright and trademark are two different things.

 

[wellquickwoody]

Why? Because it's an historic word?

Correct

 

[wellquickwoody]

No.

Yes :smliley:

 

[Wozza]

Correct

Sorry, but this suggests you don't know anything about trademarks.

Again (!), the club is not claiming ownership of the word 'Albion'. That's not how trademarks work.

It is protecting the use of the word 'Albion' around its business interests - ie sport (and related themes).

I looked up the likely trademark class: It's:

Class 41 (Services) : Education and entertainment services, shows, sporting events, training

And probably:

Class 25 (Goods) : Clothing, footwear and headwear

If granted a trademark, it would prevent, for example, a dodgy company launching a series of 'Albion soccer schools' across Sussex or a market trader producing knock-off sportswear with the Albion name.

Any multi-million pound business would be expected to protect its name (and reputation).

 

[The Albion Roar]

If anyone is unsure, or outraged, or simply ignorant, I suggest they read [MENTION=189]Wozza[/MENTION]'s posts throughout this thread - he is absolutely spot on. He is not offering an opinion on whether this is morally right or not, merely explaining how trademark works.

Two extra things - the club has already trademarked other words and phrases - 'Seagulls', 'Brighton & Hove Albion', '1901 Club', 'BHAFC', plus all of the image rights for the logos and crests.

https://www.brightonandhovealbion.com/club/club/brand-protection

Second, I was led to believe that there is a pre-existing agreement in place with Albion Kebabs. So the howling about their use of the word 'Albion' and their use of the brandmarked seagulls would be irrelevant - should that be the case.

In all instances, the these words ONLY refers to a football context - NOT every day usage. Now that would be ridiculous...

 

[giveusfalmerplease]

This reminds me about the story of 20th Century Fox when they tried to trademark 21st Century Fox to find it had been taken already by i believe some woman who owned a cake shop. Shows the power of the media . this occurred sometime in the lates 80s/90s but it almost impossible to find this on the internet. I recall they lost the case and had to pay the women MILLIONS for the rights. This is likely to have contributed to the fight for the last 20 years to many a*hole companies trying to trademark words or phrases.

Oh and in case anyone didnt know, mythological stories suggest that Albion is actually the former name of ENGLAND before the romans invaded and wiped the brits out.,

 

[dejavuatbtn]

So my scheme of having a historic ships race under the banner of Albion Regatta would be scuppered as it’s a sporting event.

 

[A1X]

So my scheme of having a historic ships race under the banner of Albion Regatta would be scuppered as it’s a sporting event.

Bet they all turn faster than Pascal Gross.

 

[BeHereNow]

This reminds me about the story of 20th Century Fox when they tried to trademark 21st Century Fox to find it had been taken already by i believe some woman who owned a cake shop. Shows the power of the media . this occurred sometime in the lates 80s/90s but it almost impossible to find this on the internet. I recall they lost the case and had to pay the women MILLIONS for the rights. This is likely to have contributed to the fight for the last 20 years to many a*hole companies trying to trademark words or phrases.

Oh and in case anyone didnt know, mythological stories suggest that Albion is actually the former name of ENGLAND before the romans invaded and wiped the brits out.,

Think you could be right about the name, I normally tell people it means England.

I wouldn’t say the Romans wiped out the native population of Britain though.

 

[n1 gull]

Just because they can do it, doesn't make it right. It's a stupid, embarrassing corporate bullshit idea that should be scrapped

 

[Boys 9d]

Think of all the clubs who might seek to trademark the word: "United".

 

[Insel affe]

Think of all the clubs who might seek to trademark the word: "United".

Thank feck we changed our name way back when....