The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) is acting to prevent the sale of bogus All Black jerseys and other merchandise it said today.
Deputy chief executive Steve Tew today said the NZRU had filed a trade mark application for black rugby jerseys or black casual shirts made in the style of
rugby jerseys with a white collar and fern device.
The All Blacks stylised fern is already protected as a registered trade mark.
"Intellectual property is one of our core assets," Mr Tew said.
"In order to derive the revenue we need to put back into the game, we have entered sponsorship and licensing arrangements giving sponsors and licensees the right to use our intellectual property.
"Exclusivity is central these arrangements," he said in a statement.
The NZRU had discussions with more than 30 unauthorised users, mostly companies, of its trademarks in New Zealand during the third quarter of 2003 alone he said.
The NZRU was concerned about the use of its trademarks and products which combine features so as to mislead consumers to believe they are licensed goods.
"People buy these goods thinking they are helping support New Zealand rugby or the All Blacks, and believing that some of the money spent on the products makes its way back to New Zealand rugby and the base of the game.
"In fact it does not - this only happens with officially licensed products," he said.
Mr Tew said the NZRU recognised the existing use of black coloured clothing and the fern motif by other sport and commerce groups and was therefore limiting its application to garments which combined these features with a white collar.
He said Intellectual Property office had accepted the NZRU's application but a number of organisations had opposed it.
However, Mr Tew said the NZRU had received "overwhelming" evidence from recent market research that the people were buying jerseys unconnected with the NZRU or the All Blacks in the mistaken belief they were buying official merchandise.
Meanwhile, the union agreed to an out-of-court settlement with clothing manufacturer Canterbury International in 2002, after they produced a jersey commemorating the 1924 All Black team, known as the Invincibles.
Adidas, the official supplier of All Black merchandise, had also protested the sale of Canterbury's jersey.
The NZRU posted a net profit of $9.8 million for the year ended December 2002, on turnover of $91.2 million.
- NZPA
The New Zealand Rugby Union (NZRU) is acting to prevent the sale of bogus All Black jerseys and other merchandise it said today.
Deputy chief executive Steve Tew today said the NZRU had filed a trade mark application for black rugby jerseys or black casual shirts made in the style of
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