By Tom Parsons
June 13 – Manchester United Megastore officials caused a stir when they announced that they would not print some of their ex-players’ names on the back of the club’s newly launched home kit.
The issue for club was over the players’ image rights and whether the players would be able to claim royalty fees from the use of their name on the new shirt.
Eric Cantona, Cristiano Ronaldo and David Beckham are three players who could claim image rights royalties if their names were printed on the back of shirts.
The refusal to print Cantona’s name has particukarky angered Manchester United supporters, due to the description of the new kit by the Premier League champions as “bringing back the black collar”, a kit synonymous with Eric Cantona and his upturning of the collar in the early 90s.
Nostalgic fans have jumped upon this ‘collar bandwagon’ and tried to have the former France striker’s name printed on their shirts – only for their requests to be turned down by the club.
Season ticket holder Hannah McDonough told national newspapers; “I think the club should give greater consideration to the fans. The new shirt has a collar and all week long, the club, the official website and the fans have been saying that it is in the style of Cantona. So I thought it would be fitting to get Eric’s name and the No 7 on the back.
“I was told that the club were unable to print the names as they would have to pay royalties to Cantona, who owns his own image rights.”
The problems stem from Manchester United not owning the image rights to the names Cantona, Ronaldo and Beckham. If the club decided to print these names they could face legal action from the players for printing without their permissions.
Cantona himself has formally trademarked his shirt number ‘7’ and the phrase ‘Ooh aah Cantona’. Any use of these two elements together have to be authorised by Cantona himself, and he would be entitled to some of the royalties made from their use.
In 2010 it emerged in court that Wayne Rooney earned £760,000 a year for his image rights via two separate annual payments. Newcastle United also announced they were paying Joey Barton £675,000 per year for use of his image rights in 2009.
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