Patent office cancels Redskins trademark

[waggy]

http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/18/news/companies/patent-office-redskins/index.html?hpt=hp_t2

NEW YORK (CNNMoney)
The U.S. Patent Office has canceled trademarks belonging to the Redskins football team, saying they are offensive to Native Americans.
In a decision released Wednesday, the office's Trademark Trial and Appeal Board ruled that "these registrations must be canceled because they were disparaging to Native Americans."
The Patent Office said it will continue to treat the patents as though they are valid while the team appeals the decision. The team has two months to do that, and the whole process could take years.
In the meantime, the Redskins can continue using the logos.



whoa..i think this is total overreach of the trademark office

 

[mnewsham]

Washington Honkies?

 

[dfuze]

Washington Pigskins?

 

[poofyhairguy]

It was pretty obvious that someone in government EVENTUALLY was going to force this with the owner being so tone deaf.

I thought it would be the city of DC itself, but this is actually much more effective.

 

[nehalem256]

Local NAACP chapter president Morris Shearin complained that the name "Wizards" carried Ku Klux Klan associations, as the Klan's supreme leader is called the Imperial Wizard, while state leaders are "Grand Dragons." Others observed that the new logo featured a ball-handling, robe-clad wizard wearing a pointy blue brimless hat – just like the KKK! Well, except for the ball-handling part.

http://espn.go.com/page2/wash/s/closer/020316.html

Washington Dragons?

 

[IndyColtsFan]

lol

 

[JulesMaximus]

I used to not care about this but I think it's time they change it.

 

[purbeast0]

i hope daniel snyder never caves

 

[poofyhairguy]

i hope daniel snyder never caves

If the trademark goes away that is game over. Then he has no way to enforce merchandise licensing, or any sort of licensing. The NFL will make him change it just to fix the leak in the ship.

Honestly this is the best outcome for him. The name is changed so people are no longer offended, but he can say to the end that he held his ground.

 

[KK]

They should rename it to Washington Corruption and use Harry Reid' face as the mascot.

 

[IndyColtsFan]

They should rename it to Washington Corruption and use Harry Reid' face as the mascot.

:thumbsup:

The Patent Office needs to stay out of it.

 

[schmuckley]

Who exactly is offended by the name?

 

[waggy]

I for one can't wait to start pumping out Washington redskins jerseys for $55 each.

 

[TerryMathews]

Who exactly is offended by the name?

Democrats, evidently.

 

[JamesV]

The funny thing about this, and the Cleveland Indians where I live, that just removed the huge lit up Indians mascot....

I've never once seen an American Indian say that these things offend them.

You'd think the news would go straight to an Indian to hear how they are offended, but nope.

 

[Dirigible]

The Patent Office needs to stay out of it.

It is impossible for the US Patent and Trademark Office to stay out of it. They define whether it is a registered trademark or not. No matter the outcome, they are involved.


And as usual, the press gets confused by IP. Waggy's quote shows them not knowing the difference between patents and trademarks.

 

[GagHalfrunt]

If the trademark goes away that is game over. Then he has no way to enforce merchandise licensing, or any sort of licensing. The NFL will make him change it just to fix the leak in the ship.

Honestly this is the best outcome for him. The name is changed so people are no longer offended, but he can say to the end that he held his ground.

And he can sell new logo gear to the few remaining Redskins fans, so it's win/win.

 

[Sonikku]

Don't like the name, don't buy the merch/watch the games.

 

[SunnyD]

I vote for the Washington Dickscarfs, with a logo of a politician in a suit holding a briefcase. Or just Obama.

 

[purbeast0]

Who exactly is offended by the name?

a bunch of white people who suddenly care about it.

The funny thing about this, and the Cleveland Indians where I live, that just removed the huge lit up Indians mascot....

I've never once seen an American Indian say that these things offend them.

You'd think the news would go straight to an Indian to hear how they are offended, but nope.

it's because 99% of them are not offended.

 

[JulesMaximus]

Who exactly is offended by the name?

Native Americans?

 

[TerryMathews]

Native Americans?

doesn't seem that way

 

[darkewaffle]

I didn't know the USPTO could do such a thing. I'm not sure they should.

 

[waggy]

hmm what about naming it Washington white-men. Whites can't get offended because of privilege,. So nobody would want it taken down.

hmm

 

[IndyColtsFan]

It is impossible for the US Patent and Trademark Office to stay out of it. They define whether it is a registered trademark or not. No matter the outcome, they are involved.

I understand that, but they can suddenly reverse a decision that has been in effect for a number of years just because someone might be "offended"? Sorry, that's bullshit.