SAFC shirt row as artist alleges design used his sculpture and urges club to 'do the right thing' | OneFootball

A Liverpool-based artist is urging Sunderland to do the right thing after alleging the club used an image from his Roker Beach sculpture on their away shirt without permission.

According to Sunderland Echo, he is Andrew Small, 61, who believes the shirt pattern reproduces his C sculpture, commissioned by Sunderland City Council to mark the end of the Sea to Sea cycle route, and that the outlet has contacted the club for comment.

The artwork features a viewing hole engraved in black granite, aligned towards Roker Lighthouse, which he says appears across the shirt’s pattern.

Small says a friend first alerted him in November, then he watched the launch video showing two former players and people in the blue away kit at Roker Beach intercut with images of his sculpture.

After a week reflecting, he instructed a lawyer to notify Sunderland of an alleged copyright breach. He says his council contract states the C design rights remain with him and any merchandise use must be negotiated with the artist.

Small says the club initially rejected his claim in writing. He does not want a court battle, but says he will proceed if necessary and is seeking what he calls a standard licence fee.

He adds that the dispute is not only about money, describing the piece as community art for Sunderland and saying he did not want the design altered or tied to something else.

Source: Sunderland Echo