In response to a Freedom of Information request from Manx radio station 3FM, the Isle of Man government’s Department of Economic Development (DED) has revealed a £3.6m revenue boost from licensed use of its trademarked TT brand during the past six years.
Commercial licensing activity raised about £250,000 between April 2011 and March 2012, more than doubling in the following year. It then grew steadily to reach £813,000 in 2015/16 and £878,000 last year.
3FM’s enquiry was provoked by recent controversy over DED moves to claim intellectual property rights on the basic TT acronym too, besides the registered logo. The highest-profile attempt failed when it transpired that Manx brewery Bushy’s had registered its own “Bushy’s TT” logo some years ago.
However, it later transpired that DED has been charging a fee to the local Royal National Lifeboat Institution (RNLI) branch for use of the TT initials on charity fund-raising badges sold to race fans during the festival. DED enforcers had also threatened a small craft shop on the Island, which was selling hand-made TT souvenirs.
Widespread amusement among Manx wags now centres on whether Germany’s mighty Volkswagen Group, manufacturer of the Audi TT sports car, is quaking in its boots.