Texas A&M threatens to sue double amputee, cancer survivor

[night]

FSU sued my high school because we had the same exact logo and were also the Seminoles a couple years ago.

 

[Wild Turkey]

It's a crappy situation but the fact is aTm doesn't have a choice if they pick and choose when to defend their registered trade marks the courts will open them up to public domain. Not defending the Aggies but it's our screwed up legal system.

 

[Wild Turkey]

Although they had to do was charge some nominal licensing fee that is entirely private.


It would have been great publicity while protecting the trademark at the same time.


Instead Aggie does what Aggie always does......


It is just too darn easy with Pooooooooooooooooooor Aggie.

They may or may not work but it probably would have been prudent to seek legal counsel on the matter.

 

[WizardHawk]

I don't disagree that aTm owns the trademark (although I do think words and phrases should be exempt), but I think they need to be a little smarter about whom they choose to sue for using it.


Sometimes it's just not worth the negative publicity.


Also, I wonder if they intend to sue the Seattle Seahawks for using the term?

They did and for a short time they had to stop using it. Of course the fans used it anyway and totally said fuck you to that stupid ass bullshit. The team ended up settling and paid for the right. They can use it in the stadium, but they still cannot sell any merchandise with it on it.

They have some great traditions at that school and a unique fan experience, but this stunt by them totally makes them look like a bunch of jackasses and kills any chance of having normal people pull for them.

Fuck A&M and their stupidity.

 

[4down20]

I don't disagree that aTm owns the trademark (although I do think words and phrases should be exempt), but I think they need to be a little smarter about whom they choose to sue for using it.

Sometimes it's just not worth the negative publicity.

Also, I wonder if they intend to sue the Seattle Seahawks for using the term?

It really shouldn't be trademarked at all.

However, they do not have a choice in it because of how trademark laws work. They aren't allowed to pick and choose who can violate it. They have no choice but to defend it in every instance, otherwise they can lose the trademark outright.

Just the way it is. They need to figure out a way to license it to the guy for cheap.

 

[smilesid]

Frankly, I hope it goes to court. Maybe one day some ballsy judge will tell everyone who seeks to trademark such old sayings to pound sand, but I ain't holding my breath. What it proves to me is that money matters more than common sense, decency, or sport.

But notice how fast the school fans jump to its defense? That says something about all of us, doesn't i?

 

[WizardHawk]

It really shouldn't be trademarked at all.

However, they do not have a choice in it because of how trademark laws work. They aren't allowed to pick and choose who can violate it. They have no choice but to defend it in every instance, otherwise they can lose the trademark outright.

Just the way it is. They need to figure out a way to license it to the guy for cheap.

Which is why they should just drop it. End the trademark and stop being douche bags.

They do have a choice. Pull their collective heads out of their asses and do the right thing. That is a choice.

 

[Lance Armstrong]

I'd like to take this time to remind everybody that Texas a&m doesn't represent the state of Texas. They are their own brand of weirdos, and if anything they are more deep south than they are Texans, since they're in the SEC. Carry on.

 

[yeodonie]

Douchebags

 

[Backroads]

Here's the gist of the subject, will "that school" be damaged by an out of state entity selling items promoting a team other than "that school's team"?
Legally the answer is no.
Few people in Buffalo or any city not in Texas, will even purchase a Maroon "12th Man" t-shirt, if it was available for purchase in a local store. The vast majority probably wouldn't know it was even a school in the state of Texas.

Sort of like Texas going after a guy in the United Kingdom?

The university's board of regents had said Michael Weir, an Oxford, U.K., man doing business as Horns Inc., had no right to sell merchandise featuring the UT hand signal, which is meant to resemble a longhorn. The board alleged his ongoing sales, aimed at fans of heavy metal music, threatened to confuse consumers and dilute the strength of UT’s trademarks.

Jered Matthysse, attorney for the university, told Law360 on Friday that Weir agreed under the settlement to abandon the two trademark applications he had submitted to the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, among other provisions.

“The University of Texas takes the protection of its trademark seriously and always attempts to find an amicable solution to any dispute,” Matthysse said. “They’re pleased with the outcome here.”

 

[oaknightshockey1]

Sort of like Texas going after a guy in the United Kingdom?

lol

 

[HizzleRocker]

Sort of like Texas going after a guy in the United Kingdom?

Are you F'ink kidding me? Get outta here with that weak ass shit.

Horns, Inc. featuring merchandise using the actual Hook'Em hand signal = 12thmanThunder, which is only a community website for Bills support.

A company selling merchandise for profit = a fan created community website not selling anything and not for profit.

Horns, Inc. stopped and Texas backing off = a double amputee and friends changing the name, and poooor aggies not letting up: " The four fans changed the name of the website to BillsFanThunder.com, but Texas A&M demanded more.

Attorneys wanted all 250 posters promoting the site taken down from restaurants and bars around Buffalo."

 

[Backroads]

Are you F'ink kidding me? Get outta here with that weak ass shit.

Horns, Inc. featuring merchandise using the actual Hook'Em hand signal = 12thmanThunder, which is only a community website for Bills support.

A company selling merchandise for profit = a fan created community website not selling anything and not for profit.

Horns, Inc. stopped and Texas backing off = a double amputee and friends changing the name, and poooor aggies not letting up: " The four fans changed the name of the website to BillsFanThunder.com, but Texas A&M demanded more.

Attorneys wanted all 250 posters promoting the site taken down from restaurants and bars around Buffalo."

LOL...touched a nerve? Don't like being compared to TAMU?

If you have a trademark, you have to defend it...meh

:rollseyes:

 

[charlie42s]

Sort of like Texas going after a guy in the United Kingdom?

As long as they aren't selling/promoting it as Longhorn sporting apparel I see nothing wrong with it.

The two hand signals are different. "Hook'em Horns" hand gesture has the thumb over the two middle fingers and the "Heavy Metal" hand gesture has the thumb pointing out, both have the hand pointing up.
The Italians use the "Heavy Metal" gesture in a sideways manner to indicate that the one being pointed at is a cuckold.

 

[charlie42s]

LOL...touched a nerve? Don't like being compared to TAMU?

I can't decide which is worse, you comparing us to "that" school or Smiles doing the same with Colorado.

 

[Backroads]

As long as they aren't selling/promoting it as Longhorn sporting apparel I see nothing wrong with it.

The two hand signals are different. "Hook'em Horns" hand gesture has the thumb over the two middle fingers and the "Heavy Metal" hand gesture has the thumb pointing out, both have the hand pointing up.
The Italians use the "Heavy Metal" gesture in a sideways manner to indicate that the one being pointed at is a cuckold.

And NC State puts the thumb and two inner fingers together (creating a wolf looking gesture???). One of my SiL's is a Texas Alum...both under and graduate....I taught that little trick to the grandchildren - he wasn't too happy.

 

[Codaxx]

Sort of like Texas going after a guy in the United Kingdom?

-
Difference is Hook'em Horns is a tradition started at Texas. Not like Texas trademarked something other schools used for years prior to the filing.

 

[Backroads]

I can't decide which is worse, you comparing us to "that" school or Smiles doing the same with Colorado.

LOL...really

 

[Lance Armstrong]

speaking of being compared to the aggies, take a look at OU's new uni's in another thread.

 

[Backroads]

speaking of being compared to the aggies, take a look at OU's new uni's in another thread.

???

I don't think they needed to create new uniforms, they still look unique. Don't get your point here...