None of the handful of fans who maintain AFL information pages on the World Wide Web section of the Internet makes money out of the free service.
"It keeps people on the other side of the world happy, that's why I do it," University of WA student Paul Williams said.
Mr Williams, a PhD student in information technology, said he was shocked to get a letter from the AFL's solicitors.
The letter demanded Mr Williams immediately withdraw and AFL logos or fixtures from his pages.
It also asked that he send the league a written assurance that he would no longer use AFL intellectual property without permission.
Mr Williams said he temporarily disconnected his AFL information pages from the Internet. After speaking to one of the AFL's solicitors, he put the pages up again, without the fixtures.
In a week more than 1000 Internet users, from Saudi Arabia to Jamaica, have connected to Mr Williams' pages to see AFL results, ladders and player information.
AFL communications director Tony Peek said yesterday nobody was permitted to use the AFL's intellectual property, whether on the Internet or a T-shirt.
"It's something we have to maintain control over," Mr Peek said.
He said the AFL would be prepared to consider proposals from the people involved if they wanted to use AFL and club logos and the fixtures.