World Cup Blog Threatens FIFA with Legal Action

April 25th, 2006 | by: WC Bob | View Comments

We’ve been hyping the Argentina teen sensation Sergio Aguero since before he was even a seed in his father’s loins. We’ve showed you his amazing skills on video, we’ve called him The Next, Next Maradona and we’ve revealed that 46.7% of the traffic that comes to our site is looking for information about our lad. We’ve even go so far as to trademark his name: Sergio Aguero ™. Yesterday when we came across this blatantly plagiarized and painfully illegal article about him on the official FIFA World Cup website, we put our lawyers to work.

The following is the cease-and-desist letter we sent to FIFA this morning.

Dear Sirs

I am writing on behalf of the World Cup Blog (WCB) with respect to the Sergio Aguero(tm). WCB owns the exclusive rights around the world in a number of trade marks and copyright works created for the player, including but not limited to the Official Emblem, Mascots, Trophy and numerous word marks such as The Next, Next Maradona (the “Maradona Marks”). WCB has various exclusive contractual arrangements in place with sponsors and licensees around the world relating to the exploitation of such rights in accordance with strict terms. Please see the attached information sheet.

We have discovered that WCB’s Marks are being misused in the following way on the website under your control and/or legal ownership at: * http://fifaworldcup.yahoo.com/06/en/*

** Unauthorised use of WCB’s copyright and trade mark protected logos
1) the name Sergio Aguero
2) any and all hype related to said player *

WCB has not consented to this activity and consequently, this is a clear infringement of WCB’s rights and/or a misuse of WCB’s marks. Such activity is likely to cause material damage and harm to WCB and its sponsors or licensees.

WCB requires that you_* immediately*_ remove the offending material and/or cease the offending activity within the next 24 hours. Please note that further monitoring will take place to ensure that this request is fulfilled and the infringement is not repeated, and that* WCB’s rights and those of its sponsors and licensees are protected.*

Yours faithfully

Bob Kellett
World Cup Blog(tm)
Chief Wanker