Trinidad And Tobago Play Under No Name At All
*The TTFA dropped the Soca Warriors nickname rather than pay Selwyn Melville for the trademark. The team now plays as ‘the Trinidad and Tobago men’s national football team.’ A brand consultant called it brave.*
After negotiations broke down with veteran sports commentator Selwyn Melville, the legal owner of the Soca Warriors trademark, the Trinidad and Tobago Football Association quietly dropped the nickname. The team plays on. The team just plays on with no nickname. Fans still call them Soca Warriors. The TTFA cannot. So a flip chart has appeared in the locker room. Soca Warriors (taken). The Red Force. The Hummingbirds. De Boys. Just The Footballers. Generic Football XI. TBD pending legal review. On the floor beside the bench, an envelope marked LEGAL FEES is fat with bills. Through the open door, a Jamaican fan grins and holds up a sign that reads “AT LEAST WE HAVE A NAME.” The player on the bench is too tired to be mad.