Coming soon: the NFL's D.C. Cabs?

Patent and Trademark Office yanks the trademark for "Redskins."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/us-patent-office-cancels-redskins-trademark-registration-says-name-is-disparaging/2014/06/18/e7737bb8-f6ee-11e3-8aa9-dad2ec039789_story.html

 

This is a win-win, because Snyder can keep the name as long as he doesn't care about making no money off it!

 

You would think this development would finally force Snyder's hand. But it won't.

 

It seems like there have been several instances where the immediate reaction is, "Well, this changes everything." and then it doesn't.

I have no idea if this ruling will have any impact or not.

 

It will be a problem for the folks at NFL Properties, I suppose.

 

This ruling is the first step in a long legal battle ahead. Snyder will appeal the decision, just as the team did in 1998 when the USPTO issued a similar ruling in the Harjo v. Pro-Football case. The USPTO decision then was overturned on a technicality, which has been resolved in this case, but the appeals weren't final until 2010.

I doubt Snyder takes a different tack now than the team did then.

 

They'll be knockoffs galore. The coveted and expensive NFL license
will be watered down.

Maybe Snyder should start a class action suit with
Sterling against the social media court of opinion. It could be about billionare
pro sports team owners being treated unfairly

 

Maybe.

But it's going to be a real pain in the ass for Goodell and everyone else to deal with this. That's an enormous difference from previous attempts.

 

You need the hard work of many attorneys to determine if a name/logo is disparaging?

 

Still waiting for a team to be called the Washington Truth. Here's another chance.

 

Prediction on new name?