#2433

Also helps that this has probably been the best game since the restart so far

#2434

Karlsruhe play Bochum tomorrow at 12:30

1 Like
#2435

oh well, was looking much better for Gladbach after half time after the equaliser and some good chances, but the bullshit penalty nipped that in the bud. Leverkusen were the better team though, missed some good chances and deserved the win tbh

wir gehen wieder

1 Like
#2436

Havertz is really good eh

#2437

first time Iā€™ve actually seen him play, looked pretty decent to me. first goal was very nicely taken.

1 Like
#2438

Massively this. Liverpool FC trying to register ā€˜LIVERPOOLā€™ when they already own LIVERPOOL FOOTBALL CLUB and LIVERPOOL FC is just totally pointless. Was always going to be refused as well (both of their LIVERPOOL applications have withdrawn). Only possible justification you could see would be an anti-counterfeiting thing, but even then, the trade marks were never going to be allowed and they were only ever going to get bad publicity out of it.

That being said, at least Liverpool FC have a plausible justification. Man U have absolutely nothing at all to justify going after FM other than a blatant money grab and/or trying to set a precedent that only official licensees can use the name ā€˜Manchester Unitedā€™ in any context. From the little Iā€™ve read, it seems theyā€™re going to have a pretty tough time attempting to claw this back from FM after being apparently fine with it for over 25 years, but the barrister theyā€™ve got is one of the best IP barristers going, so you never know.

Possibly a bigger crime that seems to have got away unreported is that Liverpool FC have registered ā€˜THIS MEANS MOREā€™ as a trade mark. Think the whole ā€˜LIVERPOOLā€™ thing may have been a clever diversion, tbh

#2439

one thing that kind of puts a crinkle in the argument about United and I only found out today while playing is that Juventus are called Zebrae on it which Iā€™m guessing is something to do with the deal they with PES.

Surely this will get chucked out. If United donā€™t have a deal with a game publisher then they can do one because they are just trying it on. If they have a deal in place (which I supremely doubt since they love to make a song and dance about any new partnership) then this is quick win for them.

#2440

Thereā€™s quite a few issues - think one of the main ones on Unitedā€™s part is acquiescence (which I assume is why the form of use they are complaining about is extremely specific) but there are others too. I suspect that FM may have been using for longer than United have had trade marks in this area also, but who knows. Entire case is suspect though, youā€™re right

#2441

checks list for Official Football Management Simulation Partner

1 Like
#2442

Hamburgling going on here lads

#2444

Sure, but theyā€™re also not called Manchester United in the game - itā€™s ā€œMan Utdā€

#2445

True but, the argument there would probably be if I said ā€œWho are Man Utd?ā€ you would say ā€œManchester Unitedā€ and therefore you would know who it is being referred to. There is a name for what this type of thing is and I canā€™t think what it is.

#2446

Bullshit

1 Like
#2447

Itā€™s actually the use of the logo that theyā€™re complaining about, rather than the name Man U, or more specifically, that FM are using Man Utd / Manchester United in conjunction with a logo that is not the official club logo. According to their barrister:

ā€œconsumers expect to see the club crest next to the name Manchester United ā€¦ and this failure to do so amounts to wrongful useā€.

Itā€™s pretty tenuous tbh. There are reasons why Man U are insisting that FM (and presumably any other unlicensed third party) use the official club logo, but appreciate this is the football thread and donā€™t want to bore everyone with any more trade mark law chat

#2448

So is the official logo actually fair game? That sounds counterintuitive

#2449

In very general terms, the use of a registered trade mark by a third party is much easier to justify (in certain circumstances) if itā€™s a word mark like ā€˜MANCHESTER UNITEDā€™. Most of the ā€˜fair useā€™ type of defences donā€™t apply to logo type trade marks (happy to give a more detailed explanation if anyone wants, but thought Iā€™d get banned if I did it here).

Man U also have to contend with the fact that they havenā€™t objected to FMā€™s use of Man Utd / Manchester United for more than 25 years, so would be considered to have acquiesced to such use (which is also a defence to trade mark infringement). Man U wouldnā€™t be seen to have acquiesced to the use of the club logo though, because FM have never used this. So, if Man U can get a ruling that states that FM have to use the official club logo when the word ā€˜Manchester Unitedā€™ is used, they could then force FM to take a licence for the use of the logo and/or assert greater control over any such use.

I assume this is the end game, but I havenā€™t read the pleadings or anything, only media reports, so could be talking rubbish. Seems to follow though. Basically just incredulous that even in the best case scenario and they win, Man U have decided to risk the potential public opinion shitstorm that would come with being known as the club that forced FM to change its business model

3 Likes
#2450

Amazed Mike Ashley hasnā€™t tried this (although SI did have a deal and still does have a deal with the EFL so he probably hasnā€™t been partially arsed).

#2451

Got to be honest lads, the above is the dullest conversation iā€™ve ever read in these threads.

16 Likes
#2452

Going to need some formation chat to liven it up.

#2453

Still more interesting than the Premier League.

2 Likes