As we're unlikely to see terraces again at football, this is the virtual equivalent where you can chat to your hearts content about all football matters and, obviously, Arsenal in particular. This forum encourages all Gooners to visit and contribute so please keep it respectful, clean and topical.
How dare Arsenal try and trademark the word Gooner, that’s our word, the supporters.
It was first used in the late 70s, early 80s as a way to move away from establishment, and although first used by Spurs supporters as a derogatory term for our fans, we soon picked it up ourselves as a way of finding our own identity.
So back off Arsenal and get your marketing people start earning their high wages by finding another way of fleecing the fans.
Ruby wrote:I'm most likely wrong on this but my understanding of the word "Gooner" comes from the term used to describe the Hard Firm that stood on the clock end, To be a Gooner was like to be an ultra, but the point is wherever it sprang from it derived from the Fans for Arsenal. Now to turn round and say it's ours is ridiculous - you can't put a patent on every word that springs up, it's just plain greed on their part or the idea of some poncey executive from a major corporation - know need to guess who.
A line in the sand has to be drawn, Don't want to be a doom monger but this lot will sell their soul for a pound I can see a time when someone says "Do we need to be called Arsenal" or "Hey let's not be tied to this Red & White home Kit" Doa they've done that already
Your right to say it was ther old clock end mob that referred to ourselves as Gooners,but the term was never an exclusive or exclusive one !
I too would like to see on what basis does the club think that it is is their trade mark
Cus Geezer wrote:I think if the club patented the it would still be ok for the magazine to use the name 'Gooner', but sadly it would have to be called the 'Fly Emirates Gooner'.
Any fan that doesn't chant 'ooh to, ooh to be, ooh to be a gooner in association with Fly Emirates, for the best quality air journey to Dubai'
i am no expert in copyright law and dont mind doing a bit of research all in a good cause but i would be amazed if the club could do this esp as "gooner " is not a term originally coined by the club.
was it a term invented by arsenal "fans" or by outsiders intended as an insult? whoever did invent the term must surely have more right to copyright the name than the club.
in cricket i believe the barmy army has copyrighted its name. i doubt that the cricket authorities could have done so.
in fact may be worthwhile contacting them for guidance.
cheers 'roly' - we do have experts looking into this matter. as i've said elsewhere we are not under immediate threat from the application made at this stage, but are looking into the implications fully. thanks for your suggestions
The Club have gone too far this time. Whilst I have a good deal of sympathy with bona fide fan stall holders, I can understand why the club want the proceeds of everything with the Arsenal 'brand name' (ugh). Their attempt to claim 'Gooner' is at best disingenious and at worst totally stupid. It must be pretty clear to anyone with half a brain that the Gooner fanzine represents much of the core support; our articles and suggestions are generally positive and supportive of the club eg the REDaction attempts to generate an atmosphere. I too have now read the very well balanced article on this subject by John Spurling in When Saturday Comes (thanks, well spotted Gus! Pity about your defending) and would echo his suggestion of the risk to the club of potential court actions against fans - surely the whole scheme has not been thought through by AFC - it's madness? My only other thought: could, say REDaction organise a protest at the Seville game? What about a new chant - "Ooh to, ooh to be.......a Trademark of the AFC!" Corny, but it might be interesting to see if there was any reaction.
proudtosaythatname wrote:I too have now read the very well balanced article on this subject by John Spurling in When Saturday Comes (thanks, well spotted Gus! Pity about your defending) and would echo his suggestion of the risk to the club of potential court actions against fans
court actions would be against anyone producing merchandise with the word gooner or gooners on it for profit. not individual fans. some of the stallholders outside the ground are season ticket holders at the club. so they support the team and make a living at the same time. arsenal have prevented them producing their own merchandise with arsenal and gunners on it. they have to purchase them through club channels now with a low mark up. so they rely on other goods they produce themselves to make a living. arsenal are trying to squeeze that by attempting to trademark the word gooner.
i'd have less of a problem with that if the club weren't charging such obscene amounts for produce from far eastern sweatshops that they are paying pennies for. if the club charged reasonable prices for goods, there would be no need for external traders and thereby a choice of value of money. £18 for a t-shirt? i'll buy one outside of the club's shops from one of those stalls thankyou very much.
