Artist urges Sunderland to ‘do the right thing’ in shirt copyright row | OneFootball

An artist is urging Sunderland to ‘do the right thing’ after alleging the club used imagery from his Roker Beach sculpture on the team’s blue away shirt without permission.

According to Sunderland Echo, Andrew Small, 61, from Liverpool, believes the pattern mirrors C, his Sunderland City Council-commissioned work marking the end of the Sea to Sea route at Roker Beach. The piece includes a black granite viewing hole aligned with Roker Lighthouse, which he says appears in the shirt graphic and the launch video featuring scenes at the beach.

Small says a friend flagged the kit in November, prompting him to review the video. After a week reflecting, he instructed a lawyer to notify the club of an alleged copyright breach.

He says his contract with the council confirms he holds rights to the C design and that any merchandise use must be negotiated with him. Small says the club initially rejected his claim, and while he does not want court action, he is prepared to pursue it.

He believes the issue may stem from an oversight and is seeking only a standard licence fee for use of the design. He says he is willing to settle out of court and wants the club to act reasonably.

Small adds that the dispute is not solely financial, describing the work as a community piece for Sunderland, and he does not want the design altered or linked to other uses. Sunderland AFC has been approached for comment.

Source: Sunderland Echo