 |
|
 |
| |
FIFA fines Spreadshirt partners
|
30th May 2006 |
Dear Shop Partner,
We have a special WARNING:
In time for the upcoming World Cup, FIFA is charging and fining our shop partners.
This concerns the copyrights held by FIFA including WM 2006 (WC 2006) or FIFA World Cup. That means if your designs,
shops, design descriptions use the words "World Cup" you could find yourself with a "cease and desist" and lawyer's fees.
Even the smallest offences are being aggressively followed by FIFA.
1. What's happening
2. Protected brands
3. What we can do
4. What you should do
5. Research options
|
|
 |
|
 |
|
|
|
| |
It looks like FIFA is fighting for complete commercial control of all things related to World Cup.
And is attacking its last fans: for example, Michael M. fought hard for a single ticket to the Angola-Iran game. And so to celebrate he wanted to make a special shirt. He wanted, it didn't happen:
"WORLD CUP 2006
Iran-Angola
I was there"
Without thinking, he put the shirt in his shop, in case someone else had gotten a ticket to the game, and wanted one
(no one did, but then again Michael also didn't promote his shop).
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
(both the English and German, in case you thought you could be clever and use the German):
"Germany 2006/ Deutschland 2006"
"WM 2006"
"World Cup"
"Volunteers 2006"
"WM Bier"
"Green Goal"
"Hamburg 2006" or
"Fan Fest" (sic) (sick!)
These are among (among many many others) copyright protected by FIFA. To see all of them, go here: http://www.fifa.com/documents/static/regulations/2006FWC_FIFATradeMarkGuidelines_EN_09Nov05.pdf
Did Michael M. not know that even calling an article a "World Cup 2006 shirt" is a FIFA violation? Did he not know that for this article
he would get a warning and a cease a desist order from FIFA lawyers, together with a bill in the four-digit area?
No, he didn't.
Poor Michael M.
He'd have to sell his ticket on the black market to be able to pay for just a part of the lawyers fees.
Dear shop partners,
- FIFA is not playing games
- FIFA would not win the Fair Play CupTM
- FIFA has nothing better to do
- Names and details have been changed, the rest is true
We have the feeling that FIFA is not only worried about protecting their copyrights. FIFA could just tell us exactly,
concretely what is offensive and we would delete them. FIFA has named us the concrete sources, but only after we requested
them and only after sending fine notices to our shop partners (According to the Frankurt newspaper FAZ, this started a half year
before the WC start, with over 1,000 suits in over 50 countries - we'll let you imagine the costs.)
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
What we can do
Unfortunately, it's in your interests for us to rigorously scan and clean your shops. We can't do single
cases, so we're going to deactivate all designs that are similar to the WC logos, product names and product
descriptions that violate FIFA's hysterics. We are really sorry to have to intrude on your shops and your autonomy.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
| |
What you should do
Please check through your shops and products! Please take out any possible
WC-related stuff we may have missed from your products (designs, titles, descriptions).
FIFA lawyers google faster than the police.
Thank you for your understanding!
Sincerely,
The Spreadshirt Brigade Defense
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
