NFL nixes man's idea to trademark term 'Harbowl' in hopes for Super Bowl matchup
You know when you get that one great idea to make money. It's the American Dream we've all heard about. Maybe you need a couple of things to happen to really make your idea lucrative.
NFL nixes man's idea to trademark term 'Harbowl' in hopes for Super Bowl matchup
You know when you get that one great idea to make money. It's the American Dream we've all heard about. Maybe you need a couple of things to happen to really make your idea lucrative.
But, the American Dream doesn't always go the way you plan it. Sure, those things you need to happen are out of your control or maybe you just don't have the motivation to take the first step.
Well, that wasn't the case for Indiana's Roy Fox. He had an idea to trademark the term 'Harbowl' during last year's NFL Conference Championship. All Fox had to do was trademark the term, wait for the Harbaugh brothers to lead their teams to the Super Bowl, and cash in. It sounded simple, but Fox ran into one big problem: the NFL.
According to a report by ESPN.com Darren Rovell, the NFL squashed that idea. Rovell explains:
"...in August, a couple of weeks before this season started, the NFL sent a note to Fox saying that it was concerned that his recent trademarks could easily be confused with the NFL's trademark of Super Bowl.
"There were two questions asked of him," NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy said. "Was he affiliated with any NFL teams? The answer was no. And was he in any way affiliated with the Harbaugh brothers? And that answer was no."
In follow-up correspondence provided to ESPN.com by Fox, the NFL encouraged Fox to abandon the marks, citing conflict with its mark.
Fox said the league refused to provide him with any remedy."
So kudos to Fox for having the idea, but the NFL is no stranger to coming down hard on anyone who veers into its path (looking at you, New Orleans).
Also, I'm not a legal scholar so I don't know if his trademark claim would have held up in court. What do you think? Let me know in the comments.
The NFL is probably hoping that FOX will have a concussion and forget the whole thing. The NFL must be tone deaf!
— rgavinjr- The Tonner has it on good authority that Fox told his lawyer he wrote his trademark application on his johnson rod and his lawyer told him it would never stand up in court!
- Depends who is on the bench... Judge Judy or Judge Jenna?
— Bazalite - I think trademark law requires you to have some depth/merit to what you are trademarking. Stems from people trademarking other people's names and business' before the proper party filed the trademark. Otherwise you could just go and trademark 1000's of names and wait for someone to violate your trademark then make the pay for it. Also, what exactly was Fox trying to claim his trademark was for? Obviously it was just an attempt to make money selling it to the NFL or Harbaughs.— Elei
- most commenters ARE legal scholars so I expect to see some pretty sound legal arguments in this space— kookybeez
- I object Your Honor! These proceedings...this court room
venacular?? It's a derby.— 2ndNlong - I'm out od order? YOU"RE out of order! You can't handle the truth! sidebar. At least give the guy a pair of SB tix.
- the nfl= greedy sob's— sgamble077
- It's obviously a scare tactic. The question would be whether you had the 'nads and the money to challenge the NFL if sued.— Tom Crymes
- None of our "opinions" have any bearing whatsoever. But hey, that never stopped anyone before.— Hutch
- Super Bowl is an inane name anyhow. Always thought it a bit much. Whats wrong with NFL championship. I think it would still sell the same amount of cars, beer, and other goods.— retzlaff
- I'm not really a lawyer, but I play one on the internet - my opinion is that it was a scare tactic by the NFL and unfortunately, Mr. Fox probably doesn't have the money to go against the NFL.— kidretdes
- Mr. Fox is a squatter. He has no relationship with the Harbaughs and the NFL so he should not be entitled to trademark "Harbowl" for any reason just because he wants to sit on it and wait for someone to give him money. Like someone else pointed out, anyone could just "steal" the trademark to 1000s of businesses and just wait to get paid when someone wants to use it. This has happened on the Internet where lots of people have registered 1000s of names and just sit on it. If you came up with an idea for a great website and tried to register the name, chances are someone has already registered it and wants you to cough up money to transfer the registration. It's one thing if the squatter was going to use it for something, but most don't and are just waiting to get paid. Really pisses me off.— drjk888
- Fox is just an ant in the way of the huge NFL footprint. They will squash him. Take his idea and make millions off it. Fox will be left at home eating doritos and drinking the officially licensed Super Bowl soft drink.
— Pat c - Harbowl isn't really that original, I said it last year as well as other people.— CoettaGarner25
