NFL Lawyers On the Hunt for Super Bowl Infringement
Friday February 3, 2006
Everyone wants to get in the game but the NFL's lawyers are making sure marketers are paying to play. If a company's using the words "Super Bowl" in its marketing, the NFL lawyers are verifying they've paid to do so.
Sportsbook.com found that out the hard way. The legal team behind the NFL is investigating the online gambling site because of billboards that read, "Everybody Bets on the Super Bowl at Sportsbook.com."
Lawsuits against potential trademark violators wouldn't be a first for the NFL. In 1993, the NFL sued Coors for trademark infringement for using the words "Super Sunday" and "The Big Game." The suit was settled out of court.
Lawyers say they're just trying to protect the NFL's trademark rights and the league's paying sponsors. The search for trademark violators has lawyers searching on the Internet and in bars and restaurants.
Other marketers like Best Buy are sidestepping the words "Super Bowl" with a "big game" theme in their sales ads. Words like "big party" and " bigger screen" are being used in Best Buy's ads. One of the company's ads says customers who buy a 37-inch or larger TV by 7 p.m. Saturday will have it delivered by 3 p.m. on game day.
Sportsbook.com found that out the hard way. The legal team behind the NFL is investigating the online gambling site because of billboards that read, "Everybody Bets on the Super Bowl at Sportsbook.com."
Lawsuits against potential trademark violators wouldn't be a first for the NFL. In 1993, the NFL sued Coors for trademark infringement for using the words "Super Sunday" and "The Big Game." The suit was settled out of court.
- NFL Sues: Trademark Infringement Lands Advertiser in Court
- Super Bowl XL: Complete Coverage
Lawyers say they're just trying to protect the NFL's trademark rights and the league's paying sponsors. The search for trademark violators has lawyers searching on the Internet and in bars and restaurants.
Other marketers like Best Buy are sidestepping the words "Super Bowl" with a "big game" theme in their sales ads. Words like "big party" and " bigger screen" are being used in Best Buy's ads. One of the company's ads says customers who buy a 37-inch or larger TV by 7 p.m. Saturday will have it delivered by 3 p.m. on game day.
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