Bohs withdraw Marley jersey

BOHEMIAN FC was forced into an awkward backtrack last week when the club had to withdraw its new Bob Marley jersey from sale after a problem over image rights emerged.

The controversial away top featured an image of Marley in what the club described as a ‘nod’ to the history of Dalymount Park where the reggae legend once played to a packed stadium.

A club spokesperson said Bohs acted in good faith and followed the correct process when purchasing a licence for the image through a world-leading third-party photo licensing company. 

“However, the Bob Marley representative agency has informed us that this company did not have the right to grant any such licence for this image,” the spokesperson said.

“We are dealing with this separately. 

“Subsequently, following direct correspondence with the Bob Marley representative agency, they cannot license the image to the Bohemian Football Club due to their own contractual and other obligations. 

“Consequently, we can no longer supply the jersey with the image of Bob Marley as advertised.”

Within hours of launch, the club had pre-sold a first batch of 1,000 Marley jerseys to music and soccer fans in over 45 countries across five continents.

Despite the setback, the club has decided to restyle the radical jersey design by replacing the Marley image with one of a clenched fist to symbolise solidarity, support, unity, strength and resistance.

Bohs also announced the club would donating 10 percent of profits from sales to continue the fan-led, fan-funded initiative of bringing people living in Direct Provision to games at Dalymount Park.

“These are among the most unrepresented people on our island,” a club statement read.

“We greatly regret that we cannot offer the original jersey as designed but believe that the new design, while maintaining the colour scheme for a nod to Dalymount's musical history, also brings with it a powerful message.”

Lucky Khambule, coordinator of Movement of Asylum Seekers in Ireland, said his organisation warmly welcomed the initiative by Bohs.

“Bohemians have been assisting MASI and bringing people in Direct Provision to games for several years and are very proactive on numerous other social issues too,” he said.

"We hope the jersey is a huge success and allows for many more trips to Dalymount Park in 2019 for those affected by Direct Provision."

Bohemian FC also wants to highlight the fact that the club is wholly fan-owned since 1890 and stands in stark contrast to many other clubs globally who have become privately owed and operated.

“We are a club of the people striving to contribute positively to the city of Dublin and are extremely proud of our club and our stadium, Dalymount Park, with its vast sporting, musical and cultural history,” a spokesperson said.

“The Bohemian Football Club would like to thank the thousands of people who made contact with the club since the pre-order release. We were astonished at the truly global reaction we received.”

Priced at €49 for children and €59 for adults the redesigned 2019 Bohemians away jersey can be purchased online at shop.bohemians.ie.