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

Volokh Conspiracy offers some legal perspective on the practical consequences of the decision:

http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/volokh-conspiracy/wp/2014/06/18/patent-trademark-office-cancels-several-washington-redskins-trademarks/

 

The next time the league wants something from the federal government, and you know that will happen soon enough, this issue will be on the table. And that's when Snyder will really feel the heat.

 

In California about 10-15 years ago, bills were presented in the Legislature asking schools with Native American nicknames to drop them. However, since the bills provided no funding to buy new uniforms, repaint gyms, ect., both died in committee.

 

Wisconsin last year passed a bill making it tougher to get rid of Native mascots. Instead of one person allowed to file a complaint for review by the state superintendent (a Democrat), now there has to be a large number of students and community members who file a petition with an arm of the governor's office (Republican). Yes, the voting broke neatly along party lines.

Really, I don't get why white people (mostly) get so worked up about not getting to dress up as "Indians" and wear "warpaint" anymore. Of course, it's likely a proxy for the overall percentage decline of the white demographic and the fear that straight white male won't be the default point of view anymore.

Not to say everyone is insensitive. A few years ago, in an overwhelmingly white suburb near me (Lemont, home of Cog Hill for you golf fans), the school board voted to drop the nickname "Injuns" in favor of Titans. The community -- on that issue alone -- voted on the school board so it could get its Native imagery back. But they weren't total knuckle-draggers: the nickname is now "Indians."

 

It's a simple issue, really. Do you want to be a dick by intentionally insulting other people based on their ethnicity? Dan Snyder does. Many, many, many white Americans do. So we should in return call those people dicks and make sure they know that's what many others think of them.

 

I like Pigskins as the new name - alludes to the football and is an homage to the "Hogs" teams.

 

At least in new photo they put dear Aunt Jemima on a diet and sent her to
a beauty parlor to have her hair done for the glam shot.
Here's the old version:

 

When the Redskins change their name, what are they going to do for retro jersey night?

 

Snyder will refuse to budge. He may go on to lose the appeal. Everyone and their brother and sister can then produce "Redskins" material without fear of trademark infringement.

Ergo, there will be tons MORE Redskins shirts, hats, etc., in circulation than there was before this decision.

Congratulations on a great victory.

 

At the very least, he's going to spend plenty of taxpayer dollars on a frivolous lawsuit.

 

NFL Properties will be the big loser if people start freely printing up Redskins gear - and that's money (roughly 1/32 of $300 million annually) Snyder would be taking out of his fellow owners pockets.

 

The loss will be much smaller than that.

People will still buy licensed Redskins merchandise. Sure, others can produce rip-offs and sell them. But it's quite a leap for any of them to appear at actual retail outlets.