Quick Business/trademark/copyright question

[aaron1867]

I've been working on a business idea for prety much 3-4 months and I am nearing the end stages of it, but I can't seem to find the rightful answer to something and Google seems to have conflicting answers.

I will try and be brief here...

I have 2 students designing certain things for me, but we are stuck on what we can design and what we can't due to copyright issues. Let's just say for instance I want these students to design an image of involving Manchester United, using their stadium, team logo or something along those lines, then put the designed image on a something, then sell it on, would that be against copyright? DO I need to get in contact with Manchester United?

I don't want to waste money here by getting the designs sorted, then failing badly.

Thanks in advance

[Graham C]

Pretty sure you can't use Manchester Utd's anything without a licencing agreement from them. 

[horseplayer]

if it is man utd or any other big brand you cant even use the logo on anything

well you can but you will end up with a big legal bill

[aaron1867]

Sigh.

Google answers was very confusing, but you two pretty much cover it for me, thought the same, but wanted to add extra value. It's just that you see so many things with  Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, badges, etc, that I thought it might be possible with some sort of 'edit'.

What would you say to much smaller football club/business perhaps? Football logo of smaller football club, Leeds, Sheff Wed, Notts Forest? Scraping barrel....

[horseplayer]

what would i say to much smaller clubs?

presumably depending what the product is you would have anywere near the same value in the product anyway

[George2Loose]

Pretty sure pokerbay is already being done by Alex

[aaron1867]

what would i say to much smaller clubs?

presumably depending what the product is you would have anywere near the same value in the product anyway

It wasn't specifically targetted at Manchester United or the bigger clubs, but would have been cool also to have been able to use Manchester United's logo/badge on product.

I don't think it would be ideal to use Premier League clubs in this, but that is open to suggestion/consideration later in project. But I am not sure how low we could go down scale with regards to club. It would be ideal for me personally to be able to use such logo As Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and perhaps London teams. Probably worth an email to club?

I only ask this really as it's not going to make me millions obviously, so wasn't sure if a football club would be against it, so to speak. I just say this as you go in little known shops and you see cups and mugs with football team logo on it, and they are selling for £1-£3 and I thought, would be simple enough?

PS - All above is and OP is not business idea, just not trying to give away anything at this point. ust at a few 'sticky' points.

[smashedagain]

Sigh.

Google answers was very confusing, but you two pretty much cover it for me, thought the same, but wanted to add extra value. It's just that you see so many things with  Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, badges, etc, that I thought it might be possible with some sort of 'edit'.

What would you say to much smaller football club/business perhaps? Football logo of smaller football club, Leeds, Sheff Wed, Notts Forest? Scraping barrel....

Just checked with Scunthorpe United. They say fine go ahead coz it's free advertising for  them. Not sure you how well your product will do being associated with scunny

[Geo the Sarge]

what would i say to much smaller clubs?

presumably depending what the product is you would have anywere near the same value in the product anyway

It wasn't specifically targetted at Manchester United or the bigger clubs, but would have been cool also to have been able to use Manchester United's logo/badge on product.

I don't think it would be ideal to use Premier League clubs in this, but that is open to suggestion/consideration later in project. But I am not sure how low we could go down scale with regards to club. It would be ideal for me personally to be able to use such logo As Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and perhaps London teams. Probably worth an email to club?

I only ask this really as it's not going to make me millions obviously, so wasn't sure if a football club would be against it, so to speak. I just say this as you go in little known shops and you see cups and mugs with football team logo on it, and they are selling for £1-£3 and I thought, would be simple enough?

PS - All above is and OP is not business idea, just not trying to give away anything at this point. ust at a few 'sticky' points.

Might come as a bit of a shock, however all clubs/organisations are covered by the same copyright rules. The fact that you don't know this suggests maybe you shouldn't be working on business ideas.

Geo

[redsimon]

Sigh.

Google answers was very confusing, but you two pretty much cover it for me, thought the same, but wanted to add extra value. It's just that you see so many things with  Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, badges, etc, that I thought it might be possible with some sort of 'edit'.

What would you say to much smaller football club/business perhaps? Football logo of smaller football club, Leeds, Sheff Wed, Notts Forest? Scraping barrel....

Notts Forest will let you, however Nottingham Forest are very protective of their logos being used commercially

[tikay]

Sigh.

Google answers was very confusing, but you two pretty much cover it for me, thought the same, but wanted to add extra value. It's just that you see so many things with  Man Utd, Liverpool, Arsenal, badges, etc, that I thought it might be possible with some sort of 'edit'.

What would you say to much smaller football club/business perhaps? Football logo of smaller football club, Leeds, Sheff Wed, Notts Forest? Scraping barrel....

Notts Forest will let you, however Nottingham Forest are very protective of their logos being used commercially

I've even seen their Logo used on Avatars.......

To be serious, though, there is a world of difference using it for that & similar purposes, & using it for commercial gain.

[MANTIS01]

Good idea to ask this fundamental question before doing 4 months work imo

[paulhouk03]

just do what the chinese do?

imitate it but with a slight change

http://www.anfield.com.hk/new/

they said to my mate that they are associated with lfc which is obv bullshit

[smashedagain]

just do what the chinese do?

imitate it but with a slight change

http://www.anfield.com.hk/new/

they said to my mate that they are associated with lfc which is obv bullshit

This is unbeweevable. Amazing that this can happen

[aaron1867]

what would i say to much smaller clubs?

presumably depending what the product is you would have anywere near the same value in the product anyway

It wasn't specifically targetted at Manchester United or the bigger clubs, but would have been cool also to have been able to use Manchester United's logo/badge on product.

I don't think it would be ideal to use Premier League clubs in this, but that is open to suggestion/consideration later in project. But I am not sure how low we could go down scale with regards to club. It would be ideal for me personally to be able to use such logo As Leeds, Sheffield, Nottingham and perhaps London teams. Probably worth an email to club?

I only ask this really as it's not going to make me millions obviously, so wasn't sure if a football club would be against it, so to speak. I just say this as you go in little known shops and you see cups and mugs with football team logo on it, and they are selling for £1-£3 and I thought, would be simple enough?

PS - All above is and OP is not business idea, just not trying to give away anything at this point. ust at a few 'sticky' points.

Might come as a bit of a shock, however all clubs/organisations are covered by the same copyright rules. The fact that you don't know this suggests maybe you shouldn't be working on business ideas.

Geo

I knew that there would be some issue and to be honest, it's not really that important, but would have added some value and extra product line if I was able to do it. I just wasn't sure how it was going to work and Google just hasn't been my friend to be honest.