Fans within the non league community have been left angry after Liverpool FC have attempted to trademark the word ‘Liverpool’, the name of a city.
The Reds submitted an application to the Intellectual Property Office, something they’re not alone in doing as Chelsea and Southampton already have done so.
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A spokeswoman for Liverpool said on Thursday: “We are applying to register ‘Liverpool’ as a trademark but only in the context of football products and services.
“We are not and wouldn’t ever, seek to register ‘Liverpool’ across the board.
“This application is strictly to protect the club and supporters from those benefiting from inauthentic products.
“The benefits to the club to have this protection in place are to ensure all revenues from official products and services are channelled back into the club and this is reinvested into the team and supporting infrastructure.”
As mentioned by BusinessLive, it means the club would be able to take legal action against organisations selling products or services suggesting they are official LFC products because they feature the word “Liverpool”.
This has produced plenty of anger on social media, with Northern Premier League Division One West side City of Liverpool FC venting out their frustration at the news.
They tweeted: “Yesterday our community owned football club had to spend £300 opposing
@LFC outrageous attempt to own the word ‘Liverpool’ in every football context and to protect ourselves. Today one of our members has replaced that money and more besides. This club la!”
Another non league club, AFC Liverpool, said this morning: “Today we wrote to @PeterMooreLFC [CEO at Liverpool] to seek clarification on @LFC application to trademark ‘Liverpool’ and how this affects not just ourselves, but all the other Football Clubs that proudly carry the name of our City.”
A petition has been launched which has very quickly been signed nearly 2,000 times as of writing this Friday morning. It has also been retweeted by football manager, pundit and retired player Peter Reid. It can be signed by clicking HERE or on the photo below.
It said: “Liverpool FC have applied for the trade mark of the word Liverpool…. if there application is successful they could stop every business ..school ..charity using the word…!
“As you know Gillett and Hicks.. bought LFC… they owned everything LFC .. word Liverbird.. even all the facilities! Anfield… Melwood!
“They got ran out off town….but iff they stayed… they could off striped the word Liverpool from the city… even LFC.. because they could of owned the trademark.. which was under Anfield ground… name .. but they owned it…!
“So this petition is to keep it for all the people off Merseyside to use.. without..a solicitors letter dropping through your door.. taking you too court..! 800 years off Liverpool to be stolen…! Do the right thing.. lets stop this..!”
www.fanbanter.co.uk – Fan reaction to the latest football news, gossip & funnies
A statement issued to the ECHO by the club said: “We are applying to register ‘Liverpool’ as a trademark but only in the context of football products and services. We are not, and wouldn’t ever, seek to register ‘Liverpool’ across the board.
“This application is strictly to protect the club and supporters from those benefiting from inauthentic products.
“The benefits to the club to have this protection in place are to ensure all revenues from official products and services are channelled back into the club and this is reinvested into the team and supporting infrastructure.”
Everton ward Councillor Ian Byrne, a Liverpool fan, said: “[The] copyright debacle looks appalling and to all purposes looks like an attack on independents who contribute so much to our fan culture.”
After learning about this story, fans took to slam Liverpool’s plans but also reveal how ridiculously complex this could all become – find out what they had to say on the next page.
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