Ambush marketing bowled out of World Cup

Lawyer Clifford Green, head of the Cricket World Cup's anti-infringement programme, says that he will have legal teams at each World Cup match and "at the push of a button" he would be able to get police to eject any fan who doesn't comply with the regulations.

"We have a duty to protect the interests of Cricket World Cup's associated partners and sponsors," said Green. "If, for example, a fan is wearing a Coca-Cola T-shirt while our official sponsor is Pepsi, then that item could be confiscated."

Officials will especially be on the lookout for concerted efforts to obtain free exposure, such as a group of people each wearing a letter making up the name of a company not associated with the event.

Amendments to the Trade Practices Act and Merchandise Marks Act dealing with ambush marketing at the World Cup were passed a week ago. The two acts stipulate that it is now a criminal offence for anyone to imply an association with the event without paying for it.

Rodney Hartman, the United Cricket Board's communications director, says that protecting the World Cup official sponsors' rights would also ensure that South Africa's 2010 soccer World Cup bid would be adequately sponsored.

The official World Cup partners and sponsors are:
Global partners - LG Electronics and Pepsi.
Worldwide sponsors - Hero Honda and South African Airways.
Regional sponsors - Hutchison Max, Standard Bank, MTN and South African Breweries.
Official supplier - Toyota.
Host suppliers - EduSport Gullinjet, Megapro, Touchline, Mail & Guardian, Douglas Green Bellingham, Southern Sun, Netcare 911, ER24, Rennies Travel and BTI Connex Travel, New Africa Publications, Penguin Books and DHL.