The US Patent and Trademark office laid the smack down when they cancelled the Redskins trademark registration, calling the term “disparaging to Native Americans.” And although many thought the landmark ruling may be the beginning of the end of the Redskins’ fight to keep the name, team President Bruce Allen seemed unbothered by the decision.
Bruce Allen when asked whether the Redskins can continue to use their name: “Did you read it?… We’re fine. We’re fine.”
— MarkMaske (@MarkMaske) June 18, 2014
The team also released a statement from their trademark attorney Bob Raskopf, stating that the ruling will have no effect on their usage
“We’ve seen this story before, Raskopf said. “And just like last time, today’s ruling will have no effect at all on the team’s ownership of and right to use the Redskins name and logo.”
“We are confident we will prevail once again, and that the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s divided ruling will be overturned on appeal,” Raskopf continued. “This case is no different than an earlier case, where the Board cancelled the Redskins’ trademark registrations, and where a federal district court disagreed and reversed the Board. As today’s dissenting opinion correctly states, ‘the same evidence previously found insufficient to support cancellation’ here ‘remains insufficient’ and does not support cancellation.
“This ruling — which of course we will appeal — simply addresses the team’s federal trademark registrations, and the team will continue to own and be able to protect its marks without the registrations. The registrations will remain effective while the case is on appeal.”
Looks like the Redskins still insist on fighting what seems to be a losing battle.