On the field, the Manchester City just took a giant step towards the quarterfinals of the Champions League. In the offices, the powerful European club leads a curious fight: it denounced the Chilean club ‘Santiago City’ for “imitation” of the shield (see photo below).
Sargent & Krahn, which represents the “intellectual and industrial property” interests of Manchester City in Chile, sent a letter addressed to Jorge Sotomayor, president and maximum shareholder of the institution that will compete in Third B, fifth category of the country.
Extract from Manchester City claim.
“Our client has asked us to contact you since he has realized that you are using the sign (…) what my client is most concerned regarding is the use of a device structured on the same graphic elements that characterize the famous Manchester City design,” the letter says.
In the text they also cite an interview with Sotomayor, where it is “specifically mentioned that the name of Santiago City was adopted in a direct attempt to imitate Manchester City and the other teams belonging to the City Football Group”.
The City adds that it is concerned that “the device it is currently using on the market is likely to create confusion in the market and be associated with our client’s brands and goodwill, as well as misleading the public to believe that Santiago City has become part of the City Football Group, which is not correct”.
Among the requirements, Manchester City asks for the “cessation” in the use of the shield through any means and ask for a written commitment that the trademark will not be used once more. Otherwise, they say, they might initiate legal action.
The Chilean club, through the lawyer Christian Berndt, responded in La Tercera: “We sent the answer within the indicated deadlines. The ideal thing would be for the directors of both clubs to make contact on friendly terms. Because we have to verify what they are pointing out, that our device or shield has the same proportions and we would have some intention of appearing as if we were from the City Group. And that is not like that”
“This letter is a kind of warning, that’s how I understand it. But the spirit is always to achieve a kind of friendly exit. Verifying that everything they say is true, we would consider the option of changing the shield”, he closed.
