Is there a naming trademark issue between "Melbourne" and "Melbourne Victory"

[Guest DemonDefined]

I am not a fan of soccer but I cannot help but notice in my reading this following chant is sung at victory games.

"ale ale ale MELBOURNE ale,

from the city by the yarra, we are melbourne all the way "

I fear that as soccer increases it's popularity it is more or less taking the identity of Melbourne which should BELONG to this the Melbourne Football Club..

Say you go oseas and you say I support the Melbourne Football Club.... They're going to say "Victory right?" Not "ah yeah the demons"

thoughts?

[Gippy Dee 48]

With a song like that, I don't think we have anything to worry about.

Gippy

[#MYHEARTBEATSTRUE 27]

With a song like that, I don't think we have anything to worry about.

Gippy

Good Song to get involved in while at the game tho Gippy,

I wish our supporters were as passionate as the victory fans,

By the way Gippy where in Gippsland are you from?

[Guest Rojik of the Arctic]

Melbourne Demons, Melbourne Victory, Melbourne Storm, Melbourne Tigers, Melbourne Cricket Club etc

It's up to us to make and promote our own identity.

[Keyser Söze 0]

Non-issue.

[Swampfox 190]

I really enjoy Soccer except in Australia

Still far too much Ethnic Crap that has nothing to do with Soccer

Hope the MFC has nothing to do with them

[Ryan Dee 140]

Good Song to get involved in while at the game tho Gippy,

I wish our supporters were as passionate as the victory fans,

By the way Gippy where in Gippsland are you from?

Yeah very true WH.

One thing that has not found it's way into afl is the loud chanting, and I mean more then just saying "Mellllllbbbbouuuurrrnnnneee"

Soccer fans all chant at once and it sounds fantastic, i'm sure it would be daunting for opposition teams.

I really enjoy Soccer except in Australia

Still far too much Ethnic Crap that has nothing to do with Soccer

Hope the MFC has nothing to do with them

You are talking about a small minority which leads people to stereotype, when most of the suppoters are just like any others from other codes.

Edited October 15, 2009 by Mr Morton

[Rhino Richards 1,467]

I am not a fan of soccer but I cannot help but notice in my reading this following chant is sung at victory games.

"ale ale ale MELBOURNE ale,

from the city by the yarra, we are melbourne all the way "

I fear that as soccer increases it's popularity it is more or less taking the identity of Melbourne which should BELONG to this the Melbourne Football Club..

Say you go oseas and you say I support the Melbourne Football Club.... They're going to say "Victory right?" Not "ah yeah the demons"

thoughts?

I thought the identity of Melbourne belongs to Melbourne... period.

If you go overseas, if you say that you support the Melbourne Football Club, they will look smile, shrug their shoulder and say "so what?". Travelled much.

One thing that has not found it's way into afl is the loud chanting, and I mean more then just saying "Mellllllbbbbouuuurrrnnnneee"

Soccer fans all chant at once and it sounds fantastic, i'm sure it would be daunting for opposition teams.

Agree with that. AFL and cricket supporting is very very bland in comparison

You are talking about a small minority which leads people to stereotype, when most of the suppoters are just like any others from other codes.

The State leagues below the A League are still riddled with ethnic tribalism. While it has not emerged in the A League the legacy of the past issues for soccer and the ethnicity of State leagues should be an issue of vigilance for Buckley and Co.

[praha 11,119]

I think Victory have done an amazing job. I'm not worried at all about them taking the Melbourne name from us in essence, because they represent the entire city. Whereas in the AFL, clubs are designated to a specific area. We can all say we are "Melbourne", but we grew out of a stadium, not the city itself. Whereas Victory have really stamped themselves within the city, hence why they've gotten such strong support.

One of the A-League's focus was to create teams with no cultural significance so as not to create racial rivalries. So what you have are Melbourne Knights and South Melbourne fans all uniting to support Victory. If anything, we should be proud that the club has done so well for the city.

Also, soccer is a non-issue during football season. No one gives a rat about it until the Premier League starts overseas and people need it to cover them until footy starts again. Same with basketball and the NBA.

And let's not forget how Melbourne Demons doesn't really have an identity yet. We've got more of an identity then we did 5 years ago, but we went a good 40 years with a poor brand and little to no marketing presence. Things are starting to pick up finally.

In saying all of that, I love going to Victory matches and hearing the chants. They're a lot of fun and give each team their own personality.

I wish we did more of that in the AFL instead of the dull "Melbourne *clap clap clap*".

[Trisul 664]

Soon it'll be, 'Victory or Heart?' Heart?! .. anyway, not a big issue IMO.

Agree with that. AFL and cricket supporting is very very bland in comparison

Too busy watching the action to have time for sing alongs.

[Supermercado 2,784]

I'm a 'soccer' fan (but not the rubbish A-League) and if people start chanting at AFL games I'll bring earplugs.

Too busy watching the action to have time for sing alongs.

AGREED.

Also the original post is a farce. How can you claim any sort of infringement when you name yourself after a city? Maybe the New York Yankees should sue the New York Mets?

I'd say the Lakers/Clippers but they're really Minneapolis/San Diego anyway so it doesn't quite work the same.

[rpfc 28,048]

"Victory, Victory. Curtains and Blinds"

"13 13 99"

[Ryan Dee 140]

Soon it'll be, 'Victory or Heart?' Heart?! .. anyway, not a big issue IMO.

Too busy watching the action to have time for sing alongs.

I'm a 'soccer' fan (but not the rubbish A-League) and if people start chanting at AFL games I'll bring earplugs.

AGREED.

Two finger clappers are we?

You both would hate an English Premier League game then. Watched Arsnal v Liverpool at Highbury "Emirates stadium" and atmosphere created by the chanting was amazing. Can't see it happening in AFL for some time

[Hazyshadeofgrinter 80]

Soon it'll be, 'Victory or Heart?' Heart?! .. anyway, not a big issue IMO.

Actually "Heart" might not be as wanky as you think it sounds.

"Heart of Midlothian F.C. (Hibs)" was founded in 1874. It is a bit like Glasgow's "Rangers" (and only one year younger), where "Hibernian F.C. (Hibs)" would be "Celtic". They are both based in Edinburgh and their fiercely contested matches, played in the Scottish Premier League, are known as "Edinburgh derbies." There is less associated violence with these clashes as there is with Celtic/Rangers which is good.

Aside from the historical significance of Heart as a football club name, I don't think it is really all that bad anyway. It evokes courage and passion. "Guts" might be a better name but perhaps a little coarse (and perhaps more appropriate for an AFL team than for a soccer team)!

[Trisul 664]

Two finger clappers are we?

You both would hate an English Premier League game then. Watched Arsnal v Liverpool at Highbury "Emirates stadium" and atmosphere created by the chanting was amazing. Can't see it happening in AFL for some time

Heh.

Hmm. So the chanting was amazing. What about the game?

[Trisul 664]

..

Fair enough. Good history there. It just conjures up: me U, to me.

[WonnaJurah 5]

the reason we r sort of out of the Melbourne loop is that we havent had success of late whilst the rest r the best in their comps.Need to change that

hopefully the new A League team is called South Melbourne to continue the rivally codes have had with South VS Melb teams, Add the Super 15 team the Rebels hopefully

[Ryan Dee 140]

Heh.

Hmm. So the chanting was amazing. What about the game?

Stuff the game. I was there for the thrill of the atmosphere and the after match activity 'Green Street Hooligan's style', just kidding.

[Hazyshadeofgrinter 80]

Fair enough. Good history there. It just conjures up: me U, to me.

I know what you mean.

[darkhorse72 1,851]

They chant because their games are slow with lots of boring time to fill in. As you gather I'm not a fan of soccer but I watched the last world cup (Which most Aussies did as its a sporting spectacle) , and you get about 5 minutes of excitement in a full match, broken into maybe 30second lots. I'm surprised there aren't more beach balls at their games as well.

As for naming rights, its up to us to market ourselves and be damed what other clubs do.

[Guest straussski]

I am not a fan of soccer but I cannot help but notice in my reading this following chant is sung at victory games.

"ale ale ale MELBOURNE ale,

from the city by the yarra, we are melbourne all the way "

I fear that as soccer increases it's popularity it is more or less taking the identity of Melbourne which should BELONG to this the Melbourne Football Club..

Say you go oseas and you say I support the Melbourne Football Club.... They're going to say "Victory right?" Not "ah yeah the demons"

thoughts?

as my brother is a soccer fanatic and a victory fan i sometimes go with him to the games, and we go into the chanting area thingo and i have to tell ya it is amazing. i wish there would be chants like some of these in the AFL...P.S AFL shits all over soccer and always will

[darkhorse72 1,851]

true

But such an experience isn't unigue to a soccer match, same as going to a concert, but others have said there is always something happening in AFL.

Also the chanting/signing is a string part of English culture, even in pubs etc. Doesn't happen here which is a pity.

[45HG 1,539]

The chants are a bit of fun to keep people entertained, often when there is little else to do that.

There are some ripper chants, but there are also some bloody horrible ones (read: the majority) that get repeated over and over.

Has anyone ever watched a Perth Glory match? That, you fat bastard, chant is the most annoying thing I've ever heard.

[melbournefc18 4]

I dont think there's ANYTHING to worry about. Soccer is on the DECLINE from its high a few years back. Victory's membership base has dropped and there crowds have also DECLINED. Also with a new soccer team coming into Melbourne next year there supporter base will again drop.

Soccer is the most boringggggggggggggggggggggggggggggg game on earth and always will be

[Supermercado 2,784]

Two finger clappers are we?

You both would hate an English Premier League game then. Watched Arsnal v Liverpool at Highbury "Emirates stadium" and atmosphere created by the chanting was amazing. Can't see it happening in AFL for some time

You are aware that Highbury and Emirates Stadium are completely different places?

I've been watching football here and in England for 20 years - what works for them is artificial, forced and an embarassment for us. You'll notice that everyone STFU very quickly when there's a goalscoring opportunity - the fact that there's an opportunity every couple of minutes in our sports ruins any flow that you'd get. I've heard people try it and it's absolutely painful.

Atmosphere is overrated anyway. You're there to watch your team try and win a game - anything else is a bonus.

Edited October 17, 2009 by Supermercado