Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Considering Arguments to Cancel "Redskins" Trademark Protections
Monday, March 11, 2013
Per The National Law Journal:
"That the Washington Redskins football team name is controversial is undisputed, but the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board is weighing whether there was evidence that enough Native Americans considered it disparaging to cancel the team's trademark registrations.
"A March 7 hearing marked the latest development in more than two decades of litigation over the name, which has long been criticized as offensive to Native Americans. A previous challenge to the team's trademark registrations succeeded before the trademark appeal board in 1999, but ultimately failed when the team appealed to the federal courts.
"The petitioners in this latest round are five Native Americans from different tribes. Although the trademark appeal board couldn't stop the team from using the name, cancelling the trademark registrations would leave the team unable to stop others from using the name commercially."
More after the jump...
"That the Washington Redskins football team name is controversial is undisputed, but the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board is weighing whether there was evidence that enough Native Americans considered it disparaging to cancel the team's trademark registrations.
"A March 7 hearing marked the latest development in more than two decades of litigation over the name, which has long been criticized as offensive to Native Americans. A previous challenge to the team's trademark registrations succeeded before the trademark appeal board in 1999, but ultimately failed when the team appealed to the federal courts.
"The petitioners in this latest round are five Native Americans from different tribes. Although the trademark appeal board couldn't stop the team from using the name, cancelling the trademark registrations would leave the team unable to stop others from using the name commercially."
More after the jump...