NEW YORK - After sending out a request for fans help in the naming of a supporters collective, New York City Football Club (NYCFC) announced their desire to trademark the phrase "Organic Support".
"We felt it was in our best interest to trademark the phrase Organic Support (TM) to show the world how grassroots and connected our future fan group will be at Yankee Stadium. New York City FC will be at the vanguard of organic support and our corporate fan development team will have a hand at creating, steering, building, and monitoring all future fan development in the stands", said director of fan supervision Ronald Baer.
"What you must understand is that fan groups in the United States aren't sophisticated enough, organized enough and coagulated together to be able to determine their own future, appropriately, in the stands. We here at the fan supervision board will guide the fan groups of NYCFC towards the proper way of support, thus earning their right to say that they are Organic Support (TM) and certified Organic Fan Groups. It is in our best interest to actively protect the concept and idea of Organic Support (TM) and Organic Fan Groups even if this means that we must use litigious methods to protect the phrase usage by fan groups started by our own fans on their own time. New York City Football Club will not idly sit by and let organized, non-certified fan groups call themselves Organic Support (TM) of New York City FC."
Calls made to the United States Trademark Office regarding the current status of New York City FC's trademark request were not answered.