The Italian truffle festival at Sant-Angelo in Vado (Pesaro) has encountered an unusual problem this year, in the form of champion sports star Valentino Rossi.
The truffle festival has reached its 46th edition, and the logo of this year’s festival features the number “46″ written in yellow.
The only problem is that the number is also Valentino Rossi’s race number, and the festival organisers were warned against using it in the festival logo.
Correspondence between the legal studio of Podrini and Benedetti, who are charged with protecting the Rossi brand, suggests that legal action requiring compensation has been undertaken.
The local mayor is absolutely stupified, as you can imagine.
Settimio Bravi says: “I’m very upset by this behaviour.
We haven’t copied anyone.
We are celebrating 46 years of the festival and I therefore have to use that number.
I couldn’t write ‘45 + 1′ or ‘47 – 1′.
Otherwise it will be thought that Valentino Rossi has bought the number 46 the world over and no-one can use it.
” He continues:“I feel sorry for the champion, but his lawyers are not doing him any favours because this aggressive attitude, with threats of legal action and compensation damages us and our festival.
Although it happens to be turning 46, unless proved otherwise, it’s a number at the disposition of everyone.
”According to Mayor Settimio Bravi, there have even been reassurances from Valentino Rossi’s father, Graziano, that all would be well.
According to him, the lawyers followed up with a phone call stating that the father decides nothing regarding these issues and that the logo must be removed.
