sport news Arsenal legend's 'Invincibles' cash grab: How one of their former stars snapped ... trends now
It was a random call in late 2022 that had stopped the Arsenal hierarchy in their tracks. The Gunners had started their Premier League campaign strongly, in search of a first league title since the Invincibles side of 2004.
Yet, ex-goalkeeper Jens Lehmann, a staple of that record-breaking team which stayed unbeaten in the league for an entire season, was getting in touch to tell the club he had secured the branding rights to the Invincibles ahead of the 20-year anniversary.
The label bestowed upon one of Arsenal’s most significant achievements in its 137-year history was no longer theirs.
The club were shocked. They had never thought of securing the trademark before, nor knew that anyone was in the process of doing so.
Especially as, at the time, over 18 years had passed since the feat. Lehmann began the process in late 2020, which was rubber-stamped two years later — and has cost him up to £30,000. It means that the German has the legal right to stop any other brand naming themselves as the Invincibles — including his former employers.
Jens Lehmann has secured the branding rights to the Invincibles ahead of the 20th anniversary
Lehmann can stop any other brand naming themselves The Invincibles - including his former employers (Pictured: Arsenal's Invincibles from 2003-04)
Arsenal went an entire Premier League campaign unbeaten in 2003-04 - the only side to do so in the division
‘I had the idea because the name Invincibles becomes more and more popular approaching the 20th anniversary,’ he tells Mail Sport. ‘And nobody had it so I was looking into it. I was ready to get the branding rights for our group, so everybody who's using it is violating our brand.
‘Sometimes you have guys from across Europe or Africa or Asia who were using that. They could have done that without permission and named themselves the “Invincibles whatever”. And they can't do it anymore.
‘They (the club) were probably a little surprised because nobody thought about having the brand name registered. At least they know it’s now being controlled.’
It’s understood that Arsenal have not moved to contest the trademark. If they did, it would have been complicated.
Sam O’Toole, senior associate lawyer at Briffa Legal, said: ‘I can imagine the club will have wished that they had thought of trademarking the title when they came to be known by it back in the day.
‘If the club got their ducks in a row it wouldn’t have even been a question as it would have already owned the trademark because the achievement, the actual trademark registration, would have been owned by the club.
‘If they try to cancel the player’s trademark, it will likely end up in a long-winded dispute.’
Now the 54-year-old has the trademark secured, his plans are lofty to say the least. Three production companies have approached him since September about doing an Invincibles documentary this summer.
Nobody at Arsenal had thought to trademark the name and the club have not moved to block Lehmann
Lehmann claims the whole squad - including Arsene Wenger - are on board with him setting up a company this summer
Lehmann says he, his former team-mates and coaching staff are currently in discussions with them.
In the meantime, he is in
