We made a meal of it! UEFA back down after ‘over-zealous’ trademark agent threatened legal action against a small German restaurant for naming one of their pizzas the ‘Champignons League’
- UEFA has opted not to take legal action against a pizza restaurant in Germany
- Pizza Wolke – in the town of Giessen – have a dish named ‘Champignons League’
- ‘Champignons League’ translates to ‘Mushroom League’, resulting in a claim
- A trademark agent said the name breaches their ‘Champions League’ trademark
- However, UEFA now say that they can ‘happily live alongside’ the pizza
UEFA has elected not to pursue legal proceedings against a small pizza restaurant in Germany because of the name of one of their dishes.
European football’s governing body on Tuesday morning decided to take action against Pizza Wolke – a small pizzeria located in the town of Giessen, near Frankfurt – because one of their dishes is named ‘Champignons League’.
Topped with mozzarella and mushrooms, the ‘Champignons League’ dish absurdly caused outrage in UEFA’s headquarters in Nyon because of the infringement on their trademark of the ‘Champions League‘ brand.
UEFA has backed down from taking bizarre legal proceedings against a small pizzeria in Germany over their ‘Champignons League’ dish
‘Champignons League’ translates in German to ‘Mushroom League’ but UEFA decided to take action against the restaurant because of its obvious links to their competition.
The Champions League is European football’s premier club competition and it appears the governing body will go to any length to protect their lucrative brand.
However, UEFA have since clarified that an ‘over-zealous’ local trademark agent launched the legal case and the football body have decided not to pursue action against the small pizza restaurant.
In a statement, UEFA said via AP: ‘UEFA obviously takes the protection of its intellectual property seriously but this instance seems to be a case of an over-zealous local trademark agent acting too hastily.
‘The UEFA Champions League can happily live alongside this delicious-sounding pizza.’
Earlier in the day, a letter to the restaurant’s owners, a redacted version of which they published on Instagram, UEFA wrote: ‘We would like to inform you that in the present matter we are representing UEFA. Proper authorisation is vigorously assured by a lawyer.’
UEFA’s legal department confirmed their plans to take action against Pizza Wolke when asked by German news agency SID, but have since performed a U-turn.
In the caption on the restaurant’s Instagram post, the owners of Pizza Wolke wrote: ‘Pizza Wolke Vs. UEFA€ Long live the pizza CHAMPI(G)NONS LEAGUE! I feel honoured ! As a kid of soccer! An advertisement by UEFA? Seriously?
‘1) just shows me and my gang we definitely on the right track! My gang & I have hit a path and we won’t stop until we’re in every stomach and baked in every oven at some point! A man! A pizza! Let’s see how far UEFA goes! BUY THE WORLD’S HOTTEST MUSHROOM PIZZA, everyone!’
The owners published this letter on Instagram, detailing UEFA’s plans to take legal action
UEFA president Aleksander Ceferin oversees European football’s premier club competition
Pizza Wolke is a popular restaurant but have moved into selling their pizzas in supermarkets
As well as their popular small restaurant, Pizza Wolke also specialise in frozen pizzas.
They have reportedly got their pizzas into 2,000 supermarkets across Germany with 300,000 sold since December 2020.
Their huge success prompted the owners to take out another industrial unit so they could cope with the demand for their pizzas.
It’s claimed they would make 2,500 pizzas a day in their original factory but have now had to take new space so production can be ramped up to 7,000 per day.
Fans were supportive of the restaurant on social media. One said: ‘These guys are so out of touch with reality it’s shocking.’
Another added: ‘They should rename it European Supper League’, while one user added: ‘Who even does this? It’s literally a random Pizza place in f***ing Gießen’.