Basque Government to cancel its backing from Team Euskaltel-Euskadi over a logo clash
A small row might cost Team Euskaltel-Euskadi a significant amount of money from the Basque Government.
It all started from a slight argument over the newly designed team jersey for the 2012 season.
The word ‘Euskadi’ printed on the shirt in green colour is in lower case underneath the word ‘Euskaltel’, the principal sponsor of the team.
The Spanish professional cycling team was founded by the Basque Government back in 1994 with Euskaltel, a telecom company in the Basque Country, as its official sponsor.
The Basque government is supporting the team with a handsome amount of €400,000 for the current season but it now has a conflict with the green printed logo.
It suggests replacing it with their version in white colour and in upper case which is the main reason behind the tussle between the two parties.
The Industry, Commerce and Tourism Ministry of the Basque Government is providing the team with the financial support and it has threatened to back off in case the team does not agree on its terms.
"In the case of this not happening, the contract will be terminated without the right to any compensation", the ministry stated.
It has also been demanded by the Ministry to print the word 'Paese Baschi Spagna' for the Italian races, 'Baskenland Spanien' for the German events and ‘Basque Country Spain’ for any other part of the world excluding France.
It has also demanded to add the word ‘Espagne’ along with the words ‘Pays Basque’ for the team’s jersey in French soil.
The requests by the Basque Government were made after the team’s jersey had already been designed for the 2012 season.
Miguel Madariaga the President and the boss of Team Euskaltel has suggested the it is already too late and no further changes will be implemented.
"It's not that we don't want to, it's simply down to the fact that they asked us to do this in January when everything had already been manufactured and we couldn't change the clothing," he told El País.
"It would require a significant investment because we would also have to repaint 15 vehicles, including cars, buses, camper vans and trucks. If they pay for the cost of this, we will do it," Miguel concluded.
He noted that an estimated amount of €90-100,000 is required to design and print the new jerseys for the team.
Madariaga is set to meet the ministry by the end of this month, which will decide the fate of the team for the 2012-13 seasons.
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