FORMER sports broadcaster Selwyn Melville said despite the national senior men's football team parting ways with the nickname Soca Warriors, the...
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FORMER sports broadcaster Selwyn Melville said despite the national senior men's football team parting ways with the nickname Soca Warriors, the song that brought the team's 2006 World Cup campaign to life will continue to live on. The TT men's national senior football team, popularly known as the Soca Warriors for more than 20 years, are in search of a new name. On July 9, a post on the TT Football Association Facebook Page said, "We want you to help shape the future of our national men’s football team. We’re on the hunt for a name that truly reflects the spirit, pride, culture and strength of our people. A name that carries the energy of TT wherever we play. What do you think our team should be called?" The TTFA said the public is invited to make suggestions at https://forms.gle/pCseCKPAM3EE2ky27 The TTFA and Melville have been in a battle about the ownership of the Soca Warriors nickname for years. During the 2006 World Cup qualifying campaign, artiste Maximus Dan's song Fighter (Soca Warriors anthem) brought more passion and energy to the performances of the national team as fans would sing proudly – even people who did not particularly like football. "I don't own the ownership rights of the song. The friendship that Maximus and I have (is a great one)...we relate with each other regularly, we communicate, talk and advise one another every single day. We support each other whole heartedly." Melville said he does not earn any financial benefits from the song. He said the song will always be special to him. "It became an anthem for the football in TT. It remains that way. It still has the energy...I still play the song. "You can't really kill the name Soca Warriors." Melville, who claims to have coined the phrase since the late 1990s, received the trademark certificate for the term Soca Warriors in 2022. Since 2005, he has been in a battle with the TTFA concerning the ownership of the name. "They know why they probably don't want to use the name because it has legal tendencies...and I have a trademark." The TTFA tried to negotiate with Melville in an effort to gain ownership of the nickname. Melville said the TTFA asked him to accept TT $1 million "and (have) no further use of the name." Melville said he is not holding any grudge with the game locally. "I have nothing negative to say about the football and possibly the way things are shaping up it is a great possibility that TT could qualify again for the World Cup finals and they (TTFA) don't want to carry that burden of Soca Warriors on their back. (They are possibly thinking) if we get rid of that we will be okay. In business you have to gamble, sometimes you win, sometimes you lose." He understands TTFA's goal of making money through merchandise as a new nickname will allow that to happen by selling t-shirts, flags, etcetera. Melville said the Soca Warriors trademark was never about dollars and cents. "It was not about money. It was about relationships and you could do things and make it work for you if you understand how to do business. There are other groups in the country that understand business and will sit down and tell you, 'We can't leave here and we did not work out something, so what is the best way for us to work out something.'" TTFA director of communications Shaun Fuentes said, "The reason for us being unable to use it (Soca Warriors) in an official capacity is because of an ongoing issue where a settlement has not been reached between both parties." Fuentes said he knows what the nickname means to people, but a name change will open up more opportunities. "We know the name Soca Warriors resonates with the team and our fans across the world. It is a very common reference to the team with international media, fans and stakeholders. Any where you travel people still know the team as Soca Warriors...the challenge that the FA has faced according to the president (Kieron Edwards) is that we are unable to really use the name Soca Warriors in an official capacity, whether it comes to any official campaigns or merchandise under the umbrella of the TTFA." The post [UPDATE] Ex-broadcaster Selwyn Melville: Soca Warriors anthem plays on appeared first on Trinidad and Tobago Newsday.
FORMER sports broadcaster Selwyn Melville said despite the national senior men's football team parting ways with the nickname Soca Warriors, the...
FORMER sports broadcaster Selwyn Melville said despite the national senior men's football team parting ways with the nickname Soca Warriors, the...
FORMER sports broadcaster Selwyn Melville said despite the national senior men's football team parting ways with the nickname Soca Warriors, the...
THE Trinidad and Tobago men's national senior football team, popularly known as the Soca Warriors for the past 20 years, are in search of a new...
THE Trinidad and Tobago men's national senior football team, popularly known as the Soca Warriors for the past 20 years, are in search of a new...
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