Redskins primary logo 1972-1981, 1983-present (Photo credit: Wikipedia)
(Arlington, Virginia — Wednesday, June 18, 2014) The Patent and Trademark Office (PTO) determined this week that the name of the NFL’s Washington Redskins is “disparaging to Native Americans”; as a result the PTO canceled the Redskins trademark. Under a hail of increased political and social pressure over the past months, the Redskins have been fighting a turning tide to keep their team name.
Five Native Americans, representing four tribes, filed an action in the Patent and Trademark office in an attempt to cancel the trademark. The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board determined that the name was in fact disparaging and found for the plaintiffs. Randall Garteiser, a patent litigator and copyright attorney from Tyler, Texas stated in a news interview that this does not mean that the Redskins will have to change their name. It only means that the Redskins will lose the benefits of having a registered trademark. The decisions impact will not be felt until after the Redskins have appealed the ruling which could take several years. “One of the issues on the appeal will be what was the relevant time frame when the mark was considered disparaging. Is it when it was filed… or some later date?” The Redskins trademark was previously canceled but that decision was later overturned on appeal.
For more information watch the news interview below.
KLTV.com – ETX News – Tyler, Longview, Jacksonville, Texas
