UMVA has learned that the City of Toronto is gearing up to crack down on violations of FIFA World Cup branding and trademarks, but details about the enforcement measures remain scarce. As of June 12, bylaw officers will be on the lookout for infractions, but the city is keeping mum on what that will entail.
The city's executive director of the World Cup secretariat, Sharon Bollenbach, said the focus will be on "education and co-operation," but refused to provide further information on what enforcement will look like or if additional bylaw officers will be hired for the tournament. The city directed all questions about FIFA's role in enforcement to the World Cup organizer itself, which remained tight-lipped about its plans.
FIFA did release a statement saying it's "working closely with stadium authorities and host cities" to protect its brands, but the response is unlikely to alleviate concerns among Torontonians given the organization's history of strict enforcement. At the 2006 World Cup in Germany, Dutch fans were forced to remove their shorts with a non-sponsor brewery's branding, leaving them to watch the game in their underwear.
The city of Vancouver, however, has reportedly taken a more concrete stance, with bylaw officers set to "enforce the removal of unauthorized commercial signs throughout the World Cup." Toronto officials, on the other hand, have been vague about their approach, with Bollenbach stating that only "approved partners can use FIFA trademarks for commercial purposes," and existing city bylaws will be enforced if needed.
According to information obtained by UMVA, the city will increase bylaw enforcement in key areas, including near Exhibition Place, Liberty Village, and within 100 meters of the FIFA Fan Festival at Fort York and the Bentway. These areas are designated as "clean zones," where commercial activities of unauthorized businesses will be restricted on match days and leading up to matches.
FIFA's influence in these clean zones will also manifest in the de-branding of Toronto's soccer venue, BMO Field, which will be known as Toronto Stadium during the World Cup. The city expects to deploy up to 60 staff on FIFA game days to enforce municipal bylaws, including measures against illegal vending.
FIFA defended its approach to intellectual property enforcement, calling it "common practice for major international sporting events." The organization claims that protecting its brands is crucial to securing revenue streams that support the development and growth of football globally.
Local businesses are allowed to get into the spirit of the tournament with their branding, as long as they don't use World Cup trademarks. FIFA has provided guidelines on IP rules, essentially a list of branding dos and don'ts, which allow businesses to use generic football or country-related images and terminology that don't incorporate any FIFA intellectual property.
