AFC Bournemouth are proud to have passionate fans who want to wear the badge.
Unfortunately, this loyalty is sometimes exploited by people who unofficially use the club’s name and image to promote their own products.
The club thinks this is wrong and puts a lot of work into protecting the AFC Bournemouth brand to ensure that fans have their support rewarded on and off the pitch.
What is brand protection?
When people produce and sell AFC Bournemouth branded goods without authorisation they are using the club’s intellectual property. To read more about the club’s intellectual property, click here.
Brand protection is the part of the club’s work which focuses on stopping people using these intellectual property rights unofficially, especially when their goal is to profit without contributing to the club’s success or to fans’ enjoyment.
Why protect the brand?
Unofficial products are often of poor quality and have been manufactured in circumstances which the club has no sight of. This means that for fans who purchase these products there may be disappointment, safety concerns and limited consumer rights.
In addition, the money made by the sale of official merchandise goes into making the club a better for all, from the fans who enjoy a world-class matchday experience to the community charities which the club is proud to support.
How can you help?
AFC Bournemouth encourages fans to report any instances of counterfeiting or brand abuse they become aware of by emailing [email protected].
All information provided will be treated with the strictest confidence and only shared with trusted law enforcement colleagues.