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tOSU trademark issues with BP

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how about to whom it may concern have there own made, fuck them and fuck suck.nuts

I've had all kind of shirts made before that which is against a trademark. They don't have a money to go after each person but, a website they could.

I had one with akronbuck on the back
bucknuts.com on the front
sucks


I had it on at every home game and they new via email I was doing it and I got no comments from anybody:) I'm 6'2 220 but, look like a midget with my friends down there.
 
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Wow, what a read. Couple of thoughts.

This is very flattering. This community is obviously on the OSU radar or they wouldn't give a shit. Alan, Deity et al congratulations.

Nonprofit, no case. All saber-rattling.

Lawyers try to be bullies. I would put the legal minds on this site against most legal eagles. I think they would have there hands full, top 10 firm or not.
 
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I beleive we put the T-shirts on the back burner until it get resolved. Making the T-shirt thing a non-issue at this time can strenthen Buckeye Planets' stand.
After this is resolved maybe we can bring the t-shirts back on the table.

Just my opinion.
 
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beleive we put the T-shirts on the back burner until it get resolved. Making the T-shirt thing a non-issue at this time can strenthen Buckeye Planets' stand.
After this is resolved maybe we can bring the t-shirts back on the table.

Just my opinion.
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I agree.....lets take a wait and see approach on the T-shirts, I find it hard to believe we are infringing on anything trademarked by OSU.
 
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They're a bit whacko in the trademark office. About ten years ago I found a neat set of blazer buttons, brass and enamel, with the school seal, Looked super on my blue blazer. I needed to replace a missing button a few years later and found that OSU had forced the company to stop issuing the buttons. I could get buttons from OU, UC, Miami, Kent State, BGSU, everyother big 10 school, every other Ohio college in the Denison, Wittenberg class in fact, just about any school with a football team... but not OSU. I pleaded the case and got back that I should consider buying "The Official Buckeye Blazer" from some mens store in Toledo.

How do you say, "fuck you," in lawyeresse?
 
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gost8 said:
I really hate to see what happens when Oklahoma State and Oregon State find out they can't use OSU anymore.:pissed:
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Twarn't so very long ago that Ohio U went after Ohio State U over the word Ohio on their clothing, claiming that they "owned" 'Ohio' by itself and that we had to use 'Ohio State.' I see we're still using the Ohio alone logo.
 
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Cincibuck, Uh, that would be "hello", I think or "I'd be pleased to represent you".

Guess we have arrived. Well done.

I am not a trademark attorney but I can't believe that BuckeyePlanet infringes on the OSU trademarks. The buckeye motif on the logo also is just a buckeye, it's not an OSU buckeye. And I don't think that a C&D letter about your shirts would be successful either. But, as others note, its not about whether you can win but rather whether you have the resources to fight.

I prefer to let Alan work a bit here and see if this can be put to bed (to Clarity's satisfaction, I guess).

Alan, it might be helpful to let them know that this is an association of like-minded individuals (OK with tibor and BrettGB as well, every family has problems) that is NOT exclusively devoted to sports but also to discussions about other issues. So, even if they have protection against using the word "Buckeyes" in a sports-related context, it may not apply to BuckeyePlanet irregardless of the majority of our interest being in discussing sports.

Alternatively, does OSU really want to engage in a law suit against some of its most supportive alumni and sports fans? Seems a bit silly to fight or bite the hand that feeds you. Especially as we will just resurrect the thing immediately under another name anyway.

My guess is two things are operating here. First, even if they know who we are, they do not want to set a precedent that allows others to infringe on their trademark in the future. Second, they probably have been informed that we have big intentions to sell these shirts in the thousands, which is unrealistic, and they are afraid you will take away from sales of their licensed apparel.

I think the implication is that the t-shirt idea is not dead but that it also will not be the major advertising and fund-raising tool some of us might have hoped.
 
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I agree with Folanator's thought regarding our exposure, along with Alan's earlier mention of concern regarding the Rumor Mill. It's impressive, I guess, that we've gotten attention from OSU administration. Not that I'd condone spouting off just too get on the radar (which we haven't done), but it is kind of cool to know that the board has grown to the extent where it's noticed on this level.

Kind of a back-handed compliment in the form of a C&D letter....
 
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The first thing that went through my head was wow... BP is actually big enough to be on their radar... how quick this site has grown...

I think we agree that the person representing tOSU thought we were a for profit site, selling tOSU type stuff... that is clearly not the case. My gut says this will blow over when they find out what we really are (a group of fans that discuss pro, college, highschool, political, and "other" topics).


Alan,

You're the man!!! Nice to have an "inside" representative to try to clear the air.

C-Dog,

Sorry you have to deal with this stuff... lord knows you have enough on your plate as is...


I don't think I'm of much help in this situation, so I'll get out of the way and let you guys handle this :wink2: ...
 
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This is sort of off-topic, but one nice thing is that Jim Davidson has been fairly supportive in the graphic work I've done (so long as I don't profit from it or distribute printed works with amateurs on it). That is one area where I could otherwise see potential problems for BP, but thankfully Jim Davidson's attitude is as wonderful as his photography.
 
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I had this same issue with the Bangals back when they were good. I had an idea to do clear window stickers like collegiate ones but the would say:


"WHO-DEY U"

and

"University of WHO-DEY"


Still a good idea but the NFL shut me down. The Bengals own "who dey".

Who'd a thunk it?
 
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