Tom Brady has sued Yahoo! over its use of his image (center, above) to promote Yahoo! Fantasy Football (a game which utilizes real players stats – see yesterday’s post re use of sports statistics). Copy of Brady v Yahoo complaint here via The Smoking Gun.
Who Owns Baseball Statistics?
Glenn Mitchell, head of litigation here, has written, Take Me Out [of] the Ball Game? U.S. District Court Rejects Proprietary Rights in Player Names and Statistics” regarding C.B.C. Distribution v. MLB, a recent decision on who owns baseball statistics, published in the November-December issue of INTA’s The Trademark Reporter.
Gower Report On IP In The UK Released
Her Majesty’s Treasurer has released the Gower Review of Intellectual Property. IPKat took a quick look and notes highlights in the recomendations: NO copyright extension; Fast-track trademark registration process for small business; enhanced safe-harbors against copyright infringement. Attention UK practitioners: after you’ve had a chance to mull, send me links to your comments.
Managing
Today’s Time Waster: Name Famous Trademarks Of Products That Don’t Exist
I’ll go first:
DUFF BEER
VITAMETAVEGEMIN
GUZZLER’S GIN
SPACELY SPROCKETS
COGSWELL COGS
BIG KAHUNA BURGER
Not accepted answer: LOG by SPUMCO, because Nick did actually sell a log.
The answers are pouring in. Noted scholar James G. writes:
The Simpsons has had several great fake knock-off brands:
SORNY
MAGNETBOX
PANAPHONIC
and my favorite would have
“CASSIUS CLAY, Appropriation, Sport, Free Speech and the Law”
Good fact pattern for law professors. Tough fact pattern for lawyers.
Murketing: “Cassius Clay, Appropriation, Sport, Free Speech and the Law.” An artist saw a 1965 photo of Muhammed Ali, then named Cassius Clay, wearing a t-shirt emblazoned with his own CASSIUS CLAY logo (logo depicted above). The artist discusses his creation of
Comparative Bubble Case Goes To ECJ
The War On Christmas Continues
WordLab: Santa’s Butt Hauled Into Court(re the travails of SANTA’S BUTT Beer).
Judge Posner To Speak In, Not On, Second Life, Really
Judge Richard Posner will be discussing his latest book, on the Constitution, in avatar form, in Second Life, on December 7. Odd, SL requests that you reserve a seat (as I would have thought that an infinite number of avatars could attend a lecture on the head of a pin). Information on free membership to
IP Job Website
Two Lawyers Walk Into A Courtroom . .
Two lawyers walk into a courtroom, the first lawyer goes “your client’s jokebooks infringe the copyrights of my clients, professional comedians such as Jay Leno and Rita Rudner” and the second lawyer says . . ok, it needs work.
p.s. I couldn’t find the complaint on Pacer – if you have a url, send it