Dispute Over ‘FCH’ Abbreviation Between Heidenheim and Rostock

1. FC Heidenheim, currently competing in the Bundesliga, and Hansa Rostock, engaged in the 3. Liga, are embroiled in a legal battle concerning the rights to the abbreviation “FCH.” The two teams last faced each other on the pitch almost three years ago, but their current conflict is being played out in court.

According to a report by Ostsee-Zeitung, as cited by Kicker, Hansa Rostock is challenging Heidenheim’s registration of the “FCH Fanshop” name and logo with the German Patent and Trademark Office (DPMA) in 2024. Rostock maintains its claim to the abbreviation.

The origins of this dispute can be traced back to a bilateral marketing agreement established in 2008, wherein the BaWü club, Heidenheim, consented to refrain from claiming the “FCH” abbreviation for use by the younger club. By filing the patent claim, Heidenheim is accused of breaching this agreement, asserting instead that they are the older club.

While Heidenheim was technically founded in 1846, the club has undergone numerous mergers and reorganizations. The current legal entity was established only in 2007, making Hansa Rostock, founded in 1965, the older club.

Both Markus Gamm, spokesperson for Heidenheim, and Marit Scholz, a public relations officer for Rostock, were quoted in the Ostsee-Zeitung article, confirming that the dispute is progressing through the legal system. However, both parties are also contemplating an out-of-court settlement.

Scholz elaborated on the 2008 agreement, explaining that Heidenheim had consented not to utilize the “FCH” designation unless it was accompanied by a clarification that included the full name “Heidenheim 1846.”