04/25/24
November 27, 2010
Colleges Chomp High Schools That Use Their Logos: Glades Day School, a 300-student school in Belle Glade, Fla., is one of many schools that are hearing from colleges these days about copying their logos. The University of Florida told them to stop using its Gator trademark. "It just hurts; it has a sting to it," said headmaster Robert Egley. "We send them our students, we send them our money and we support them. It just flies in the face of common sense that they would come after us."
Hate to see this happen to high schools, but I can see how Florida would not be happy to lose that cash cow.
You see that with a lot of old logos and shirt/uniform designs, where the teams or governing bodies create and register a "modern" logo for trademark protection: you'll see that on modern Six Nations rugby shirts, even though that can just create a market for "classic" shirts with the old emblem.
(You also see it in academia without a comparable sporting element: Oxford University did that because the historic logo was sufficiently diluted to allow tat-sellers to use it.)
It's certainly a cash cow, but it's also about image control, which is somewhat understandable, given the nature of the institutions.
posted by etagloh at 03:23 PM on November 27, 2010
I believe that if you don't rigorously protect your copyrights and trademarks, it becomes difficult to protect them when you actually need to. Lawyer?
posted by Joey Michaels at 04:53 PM on November 27, 2010
It should be possible to protect copyrights and trademarks simply by licensing the high schools or amateur teams to use the names and logos in return for a small fee. Naturally enough, the licensee would be prohibited from any commercial sale beyond a certain level. Rather than becoming the big, bad wolf, the university or professional team would come across as a friendly dog that can protect its turf.
posted by Howard_T at 07:47 PM on November 27, 2010
It should be possible to protect copyrights and trademarks simply by licensing the high schools or amateur teams to use the names and logos in return for a small fee.
Exactly. Schools could license their logo for $1 to deal with the need to protect your trademark issue.
posted by jmd82 at 09:20 PM on November 27, 2010
Saw a conversation on Twitter about this yesterday. I believe some schools do the $1 license jmd82 mentioned, including Kansas State, whose logo my high school used and still uses today.
Upon further review:
"THIS MAKES SENSE. RT @j_rake K-State charges (high schools) $1 for 2 years to use logo. 94 schools use Powercat." -via @darrenrovell, CNBC sports business reporter
posted by boredom_08 at 03:11 AM on November 28, 2010
You'd think that universities and colleges would see the appeal of having their mark on as many high schools as possible. They're recruiting those kids for athletics and enrollment.
posted by rcade at 09:52 AM on November 28, 2010
It all comes down to money, right? If Florida doesn't protect its registered trademarks, then they lose their rights to them. When they lose their rights to them, then any Joe can make Gators schwag and make money off of them. Hate to see this happen to high schools, but I can see how Florida would not be happy to lose that cash cow.