Artist to sue Sunderland AFC over away kit design

TL;DR

An artist is suing Sunderland AFC over the use of his sculpture's image on the club's away kit without permission. Andrew Small claims the design infringes on his copyright.

Key points

Andrew Small is suing Sunderland AFC.
The lawsuit concerns the away kit design.
Small claims the design infringes on his copyright.
The sculpture was commissioned in 2008.
The sculpture marks the end of the Sea to Sea cycle path.

Mentioned in this story

Sunderland AFCAndrew SmallLiverpool

Roker Lighthouse

Sunderland's Daniel Ballard holds his forehead, wearing his team's away shirt, which is blue with a repeated pattern depicting a lighthouse through a circular structure

Andrew Small said the pattern on the shirt breached his copyright [PA Media]

An artist is planning to take legal action against Sunderland after the Premier League club printed what he claims is an image of one of his sculptures on its away kit without his permission.

Andrew Small, from Liverpool, was commissioned by Sunderland City Council in 2008 to create a sculpture, named 'C', to mark the end of the Sea to Sea cycle path.

Cyclists completing the Whitehaven to Sunderland route are greeted with a view of Roker Lighthouse through an aperture, carved into a six-and-a-half-tonne slab of black granite.

Sunderland has denied breaching copyright legislation in letters to Small's legal team, which is seeking a percentage of commercial sales of the kit or damages.

The 2025/26 away kit, manufactured by sportswear firm Hummel, features a repeating geometric pattern showing the lighthouse, viewed through a circular design resembling the sculpture's aperture.

At the time, the club said the shirt was inspired by its away kit from the 1989-91 season, when the club was still at its previous ground, Roker Park, which is just a short walk from the lighthouse.

"[The sculpture is] highly mirrored, polished granite, and it reflects the environments and the light," Small told the BBC.

"It looks like a bit of 3D generated artwork in the landscape sometimes, depending on how the light hits it.

"It's faceted, like a camera shutter. So carved into this six-and-a-half-tonne piece of ground are these curved shapes, which make it quite distinctive.

"It's not just a square with a hole in it, it's quite a specific form."

Q&A

What is the legal issue between Andrew Small and Sunderland AFC?

Andrew Small is suing Sunderland AFC for allegedly using an image of his sculpture on their away kit without his permission, claiming copyright infringement.

What is the sculpture that Andrew Small created for Sunderland?

The sculpture, named 'C', was commissioned by Sunderland City Council in 2008 to mark the end of the Sea to Sea cycle path and features a view of Roker Lighthouse.

How did Sunderland AFC use Andrew Small's artwork?

Sunderland AFC printed a pattern on their away kit that Andrew Small claims is based on his sculpture, which he argues breaches his copyright.

What are the potential consequences for Sunderland AFC if they lose the lawsuit?

If Sunderland AFC loses the lawsuit, they may face financial penalties and could be required to change their away kit design to avoid further copyright infringement.