Texas A&M Restrains the ’12th Man’
Texas A&M Seeks Restraining Order Against ’12th Man’
Texas A&M sought a restraining order Monday against the Seattle Seahawks, asking the NFC champions to stop promoting the “12th Man” marketing campaign.
The school filed the request in district court in Brazos County, arguing that the Seahawks are infringing on A&M’s legal claim to the “12th Man” slogan. The school claims it created the moniker more than 80 years ago and owns the rights to use it.
“Texas A&M University certainly has no ill will towards the Seattle Seahawks,” said Steve Moore, A&M’s chief marketing officer and vice president for communications. “However, we have the responsibility and legal obligation to protect the university’s trademarks, which in this instance is the ’12th Man.”‘
Sports Biz reports
Yes, if they protected the slogan, then they have the rights to use it and limit the use by others. As reported in the story linked above, ‘A&M has twice registered trademarks for “The 12th Man” label — in 1990 and 1996 — that include entertainment services, “namely organizing and conducting intercollegiate sporting events,” and products, such as caps, T-shirts, novelty buttons and jewelry.’ Whether this includes the Seahawks use of the slogan, I know not. In any event, fans get to choose if they like the way they handled it. I don’t like the way they handled it. I can’t help but think there was a way to get a big bang out of this by cooperating with the Seahawks. Did they try? Perhaps they did.
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