MafiaMan Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The world has lost its mind.......duh. The franchise has not been active since 1993. Selling retro t-shirts doesn't mean an active trademark. The mark has to be relevent to a product, market ect. The market has moved and the product is not active. But there is not point to take their logo, 30% change and you can trademark your own. I agree we should just be called North Dakota for a year or two and move nice and slow to a new logo and nickname. Find out what works. I just like the North Stars. The market for retro memorabilia is very much active. You think the Atlanta Hawks (Pac-man logo), Philadelphia 76'ers (Dr J era logo), New England Patriots (Steve Grogan era logo) haven't kept the trademarks up-to-date? Throwback outfits are HUGE business with profits involved. Trust me...the North Stars trademark is as active as the current Detroit Red Wings famed winged wheel. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dak Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 The market for retro memorabilia is very much active. You think the Atlanta Hawks (Pac-man logo), Philadelphia 76'ers (Dr J era logo), New England Patriots (Steve Grogan era logo) haven't kept the trademarks up-to-date? Throwback outfits are HUGE business with profits involved. Trust me...the North Stars trademark is as active as the current Detroit Red Wings famed winged wheel. It could be.... Its a moot point because we would make are own logo. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MafiaMan Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 It could be.... Its a moot point because we would make are own logo. You're right about one thing...the North Stars, while not my favorite team back in the day, had one of the top logos and nicknames in all of professional sports. I guess I'd prefer not copying something, logo-wise or nickname wise, so how about the UND Big Dippers, a tribute to Wilt Chamberlain, or maybe the UND Shooting Stars? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MplsBison Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Great job - UND supporters sure got their $800,000 worth Admittedly, I don't have all the information regarding the case. But I believe the lawsuit was originally started in the context that the rules the NCAA was violating were going to stay static. Even if the NCAA would have gone on to lose the lawsuit, they were already (or perhaps are still going to) changing their rules such that they wouldn't be violating them after the change. So in that context, obviously the lawsuit does no good and the cheapest thing to do was just cut your losses. But you certainly can't turn to the lawyers and say "gee, sorry guys, I didn't realize they were going to change their own rules....can we have our money back?". It doesn't work like that. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chief Illiniwek Supporter Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 ...UND had basically a handshake agreement with the Blackhawks to use the logo. When Bill Wirtz purchased the team in 1992 or 1993...Bill Wirtz inheirted the team from his father, Arthur Wirtz. The Wirtz family has been involved with the Hawks in one capacity or another since about the 1940's. Bill Wirtz died within the last six weeks or so. At the time, the statements were that he was President of the Hawks for about half his lifetime; IOW, since the 1960's. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MafiaMan Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Bill Wirtz inheirted the team from his father, Arthur Wirtz. The Wirtz family has been involved with the Hawks in one capacity or another since about the 1940's. Bill Wirtz died within the last six weeks or so. At the time, the statements were that he was President of the Hawks for about half his lifetime; IOW, since the 1960's. I stand corrected on the inheritance vs purchasing issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightingsioux4life Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 [The market for retro memorabilia is very much active. You think the Atlanta Hawks (Pac-man logo), Philadelphia 76'ers (Dr J era logo), New England Patriots (Steve Grogan era logo) haven't kept the trademarks up-to-date? Throwback outfits are HUGE business with profits involved. Trust me...the North Stars trademark is as active as the current Detroit Red Wings famed winged wheel. Now you are comparing apples and oranges. The teams that you mentioned changed logos and uniforms, but they didn't change their names and geographical locations. The Minnesota North Stars no longer exist. Long live the Dallas Stars (I still think they should be called the South Stars, but that is another topic for another time). I am not saying you don't have valid points on this, but that was not the best analogy. I agree with what some people have said: change just enough of the logo to satisfy copyright concerns and give it a shot. And if we had to work something out with the Dallas Stars, I don't think it would be that difficult. We are a college sports program, they are an NHL franchise; I don't think it would be that threatening to them. And by using the North Stars name and at least a similar version of the logo, our hockey team (with the media coverage it attracts) might help boost sales of the retro merchandise and help the Dallas Stars make more money in the process. Everything in business and life is negotiable (unless you are dealing with Ron His Horse Is Thunder and Jesse Taken Alive ) Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Redneksioux Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Kind of off topic, but what happens to "sioux"sports.com? I vote Jim keeps it siouxsports! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MafiaMan Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Now you are comparing apples and oranges. The teams that you mentioned changed logos and uniforms, but they didn't change their names and geographical locations. The Minnesota North Stars no longer exist. Long live the Dallas Stars (I still think they should be called the South Stars, but that is another topic for another time). I am not saying you don't have valid points on this, but that was not the best analogy. I agree with what some people have said: change just enough of the logo to satisfy copyright concerns and give it a shot. And if we had to work something out with the Dallas Stars, I don't think it would be that difficult. We are a college sports program, they are an NHL franchise; I don't think it would be that threatening to them. And by using the North Stars name and at least a similar version of the logo, our hockey team (with the media coverage it attracts) might help boost sales of the retro merchandise and help the Dallas Stars make more money in the process. Everything in business and life is negotiable (unless you are dealing with Ron His Horse Is Thunder and Jesse Taken Alive ) I'm not comparing apples and oranges at all. Just because the North Stars moved, their previous logos, wordmarks, etc. remain property of the team and its owner(s). Do you think the Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball don't make a buck or two everytime someone buys a Brooklyn Dodgers throwback hat? You bet they do. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fightingsioux4life Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 I'm not comparing apples and oranges at all. Just because the North Stars moved, their previous logos, wordmarks, etc. remain property of the team and its owner(s). Do you think the Los Angeles Dodgers and Major League Baseball don't make a buck or two everytime someone buys a Brooklyn Dodgers throwback hat? You bet they do. Then let's either work out a deal with the Dallas Stars to use the old logo or modify it so that it isn't the same thing. Oh wait, I already pointed that out, didn't I? Look, I am not saying that the North Star name is the answer (I think Roughriders is worth at least a look). But I want as many options on the table as possible. That could take a couple of years to figure out, but since we have three years to work with that shouldn't be a problem. As long as it isn't Flickertails, NoDaks or something handpicked by Ron His Horse Is Thunder and Jesse Taken Alive, I think we will all learn to live with it. End rant. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MafiaMan Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Iowa High School and Wisconsin's Motion W Logo The Woodlands High School (Houston, TX) and Motion W Logo Madison.com Article about "W" Abusers Penn State Logo Copyright Infringement By the way, the last article also makes reference to this quote, since I've seen this "30% rule" tossed around... Uniform manufacturers told the district the design would not break trademark laws as long as the logo was different from Penn State's by at least 30 percent, Burleson said. The high school then unveiled its faculty-designed logo, a black panther with gray and red accents. In June, the school district received a letter from the CLC telling the high school the logo needed to go. The CLC said there is no 30 percent rule. "That's a rumor that's out there," Aronowitz said. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MafiaMan Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Then let's either work out a deal with the Dallas Stars to use the old logo or modify it so that it isn't the same thing. Oh wait, I already pointed that out, didn't I? Yea, keep pointing out things that can't be done. Hey, there's a logo, let's steal 70% of it and it's ok now! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Big A HG Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 Yea, keep pointing out things that can't be done. Hey, there's a logo, let's steal 70% of it and it's ok now! North Dakota Huntsmen? Huntsmen is just another word for hunters Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Let'sGoHawks! Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 North Dakota Huntsmen? Huntsmen is just another word for hunters That won't work, maybe the ND Huntspersons...don't you love the PC world we live in? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PCM Posted November 30, 2007 Share Posted November 30, 2007 North Dakota Huntsmen? Huntsmen is just another word for hunters I thought they were tomato canners. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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