here is the link: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-norfolk-13906019 i think this is stupid maybe the norwich city crest is unauthorised use of brand. but ontheball and green & yellow are not. on the ball is also a term meaning alert and paying attention and doing well at something also it used to have a Saturday tv show called on the ball so i don't see how they can think they own it because they don't and also they don't own the colour yellow and green the only thing they own is the norwich city crest. well thats that i think anyway there are lots of people that use on the ball and green & yellow so how can they single out one person. o well thats football for you its getting stupid when will we sign another player
You're right about 'on the ball' and 'green and yellow' but when they're used in conjunction with the NCFC badge then it suggests a connection between them all! Norwich acted correctly in protecting their marketable assets, and they only asked him to stop, I wouldn't call that 'heavy-handed bullying'
Seems a bit petty but then if the bloke hasn't gain permission to use the club crest then I suppose the club have the right to stop him cashing in on their success
I support the club, this guy was making money on the Norwich city brand and although the microbrewery thing is quite quaint and very "old-boy narrrfuk" he is technically no better than a street vendor selling knocked off city shirts or merchandise. The guy strikes me as a bit of a "pinkun poster" too. Maybe if he had contacted the club beforehand they would have encouraged and helped him out?
i know the crest but if you read it. this is what it said: It ordered him to "immediately cease using any of the club's intellectual property, in particular the club crest and the words 'On the Ball'".the way this is put its saying that the intellectual property is the city crest and the words on the ball .
Copyright law & trademarks are a minefield and having had personal experience of receiving such a letter when selling fishing tackle in years gone by I feel a little sorry for the guy. He probably genuinely was not aware that 'On The Ball' infringed the club's intellectual property rights. However, the law is there to protect brand names, registered trademarks etc. NCFC have at least acted reasonably and issued a warning to stop before legal action is taken. I would not argue his case however about the use of the crest but as most people are probably not aware of copyright laws I can understand why people can easily fall foul of companies etc.
I know copyright laws etc are a total minefield Thai, but surely a little common sense would have helped his case as well. On the ball might have been ok, as would the use of the colours, but to stick it under the club's badge? Foolish...yes, Naive...yes......criminal? I don't think so. Maybe the club could have arranged a meeting and agreed the use of the badge, providing he supplied the club with a few bottles to use in the bars on a trial basis?
Most companies from my experience, will not apply common sense, which never helps in such cases. Although a warning was fair under the circumstances. It is typically a hard line they take to defend the brand name. I was not personally branding him as a criminal and I said I feel a little for the guy. I did not create the law either but - the law is what the law is, ergo the club feel his actions were unlawful. Having paid thousands of pounds to create a brand and everything that goes with it, I can understand why companies do what they do to defend the name and any income that comes off the back of it.
Mind you, the words on the ball, come from a song or poem I believe which may now be out of copyright and therefore in the public domain. I know with music, it's something like 70 years after the composer's death, unless it's left to somebody's estate. As you said though Thai, the copyright law is an absolute minefield, and if he applied through the right channels, he way well have ended spending a small fortune before he started.
Very true. I know people have to protect their interests, but then that makes it harder for the next person starting out.
Check this overreaction from a pinkun poster, clearly has no idea or appreciation of David mcnallys efforts or what we are trying to achieve at this club. *Yesterday, 7:26 PM Better Wizard* Joined on 05/06/2011 Posts 81 Re: On the Ball ale and NCFC Absolute joke!! Mcnally once again turning away a real supporter. He wants the corporate boys here, he wants the money. Surprised however how obvious they have done it. So far Mcnally's tactics have been underhand but now he is fighting the normal fan in the limelight. I hope it doesn't pay off. Would not be surprised if a large corporate company come in with a ale or cider from within the area and have a Norwich city theme with their latest offering. Mcnally yes you have saved our club but you as a person are a disgrace and anyone who disagrees with that sentiment do not know David as a person. He has banned more fans from Carrow road in the last 4 years then anyone else yet no1 notices. Wake up people he doesn't care if you are here unless you offer sponsorship or another means of payment. I want a full investigation on his dealings as i believe the man is corrupt and has been pocketing a certain amount of our profits.
OMG A perfect example of having gained a little information based on what they have read. The old saying goes - A little knowledge is a dangerous thing, ergo such 'barrack room' lawyers are created in no time at all. I hope someone puts him straight.
Pretty extreme. This is a very small issue in real terms. I know the media want to do a story about us just so they can fill it with hilarious cooking puns because, I don know if you know this, but our joint majority shareholder is a chef. I know, what a shocker eh. (one thing I'm not looking forward to next season) Accusing McNally of corruption, pure madness, he's a great man and for what he's done for this club he deserves the freedom of the city.