http://www2.tbo.com/content/2009/may/08/na-rowdies-sued-over-logo-use/sports/ By MIKE SALINERO | The Tampa Tribune Published: May 8, 2009 Updated: 10:32 am TAMPA - A Texas company that deals in classic sports logos is suing the owners of the Tampa Bay Rowdies professional soccer team for trademark infringement, alleging an improper use of the team name on sports gear. Dallas-based Classic Ink Inc. filed the lawsuit April 29 against the Rowdies, Citrus Sports Group LLC, Citrus Ventures, Team IP Sports LLC and Team IP Holdings LLC. Citrus Sports Group and Citrus Ventures are the owners of the Rowdies soccer team. Team IP Sports and Team IP Holdings are companies that deal in apparel decorating and national event marketing. The lawsuit alleges that Classic Ink Inc. legally owns trademark rights to the "Tampa Bay Rowdies" name and that the Citrus companies are improperly selling products with the registered trademark. Team IP Sports and Team IP Holdings are using their Web site to market the Rowdies gear, the lawsuit alleges. "It's hurting our business," said D. Scott Hemingway, attorney for Classic Ink. "Any use of our trademark not authorized is hurting our ability to sell our product line. And it's actually been an issue with respect to our licensing of our product line to another entity." Lisa Brock, a spokeswoman for the Rowdies, said team owners had no comment. The lawsuit alleges that a former owner of C.S. Anderson Enterprises, the company that later became Classic Ink, executed a false assignment of the Rowdies trademark to the soccer team's owners in May 2008. "He had no ownership rights to transfer and no authorization to sign any paperwork on behalf of the lawful owner," Hemingway said. "Therefore nothing was transferred and nothing was sold." The original Tampa Bay Rowdies played in the North American Soccer League in the 1970s and '80s before folding in 1993. Last June, an ownership group led by Andrew Nestor, Hinds Howard and David Laxer announced a United Soccer Leagues First Division team called the Rowdies that would wear the former team's green and gold colors. The team still intends to play its inaugural season starting in April 2010 in a rented stadium. Very interesting if this is true. I like the last part: team intends to play in a rented stadium.
I don't know what to say: at least the Rowdies are getting press coverage in a good or bad manner. That is bullshit with the trademark infringement. The website Classic Logos are using the old logo not the new one, so now they think they hold the rights to the name, what a bunch of losers.As far as the rented stadium comment, I hope it's not RajJay.
Wow, I don't know what to say. Well we know they will be in a rented stadium. But will they have the Rowdies name? I'm not going to lie I'm having a tough time staying positive.
I think this is a grab for straws or a publicity stunt? Did anyone check the website: http://www.classicsportslogos.com/Views/Default.aspx all the shirts look like a amatuer would make them, then they have this on the bottom of the website: The "Tampa Bay Rowdies"® is a federal registered trademark, Reg. No. 2,755,164. The company has been around since 2008 who are they kidding... what about Toff's they are established since 1990...and they have no problem... http://www.toffs.com/
How did this Classic Ink aquire the Rowdies' name/logo? I am only vaguely aware of copyright law but I would assume that when the original Rowdies folded, Miss Corbett let all trademarks lapse eventually which meant they were up for grabs in the public domain. I guess this Classic Ink would have then be able to trademark the original logo. The new badge is not the problem, it is the Rowdies' use of the classic wordmark. I agree with Dave, my enthusiasm for this club is waning. They got off to a pretty decent start, but the last few months have got me wondering if this thing is going to be DOA.
I'm sure both sides can work something out.. Rowdies should let Classic logos sell the old logo shirts and the Rowdies should sell the new logo shirts.
We've known this for a while. USF or UT. Those are rental situations. Ever since it became obvious the new stadium wouldn't be ready for 2010, they have been headed towards renting someone else's stadium.
as for the logo, I don't know. I have a Rowdies' t-shirt that I got on section219.com a few years back. That site doesn't exist anymore. It was in Dallas, though. Maybe this is the same company or a descendant. But you'd think you'd have sorted this out when you resurrect a long-dead name.
You would think. They have these things called attorneys now that can make sure this kind of thing doesn't happen. My confidence is dropping.
Ya this news hurts bad from a fans point of view. I haven't heard any good news from this team in awhile and it hurts. Right now im just going to enjoy WCQ and MLS games. Wake me up next April.
I wouldn't worry about it too much. This will be resolved fairly quickly. Believe it or not if this Texas company does own the rights to the name it is in their interest that the Rowdies come back. We haven't heard much from the team, but I am not concerned. They are working on things and eventually we will get a flood of information to dissect and discuss.
I ran a search on the United States Patent and Trademark Office's Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS) for the word "Rowdies". Here is what they are refering to in the article: http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4009:eagq2s.21.6 Oh... And, did you know that the new logo is really a volleyball?!?! http://tess2.uspto.gov/bin/showfield?f=doc&state=4009:eagq2s.20.3 Description of Mark Color is not claimed as a feature of the mark. The mark consists of a shield with a volleyball appearing between "19" and "75" of the year "1975"; the wording "TAMPA BAY ROWDIES" appears underneath and the bottom half of the shield contains alternating shaded horizontal stripes; a five-point star appears above the shield.
I even had one my uncle used to play with during the sixties, these balls were not really userfriendly, especially on wet fields, I'm glad Fifa got rid of them
You do know that FIFA had nothing to do with that? Engineers at adidas, mitre, Puma, and other manufacturers made those old footballs obsolete. Well, that and all the little kids who assemble the modern balls in sweatshops throughout Asia.
You are right, maybe Fifa should do something against this abuse. For the sake of the beautifull game we all love
The priorities of FIFA execs are roughly as follows: 1. Line their own pockets with kickbacks, bribes, and thievery 2. Line the pockets of their friends with kickbacks, bribes, and theivery 3. Trade political favors to ensure their continued ability to do #1 and #2 . . . 8. Govern the game of football/soccer . . . 179. Worry about whether Pakistani children are being exploited in sweatshops making football/soccer equipment (and when they figure out that Pakistan would rather play cricket than soccer, this one moves further down the list)
If it had a less decent design, I would wonder if it was from the same people that bring us MLSRumors.