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Question about trademarks and high schools


roxfan00

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Horizon High School, which is in Colorado. Wouldn't they need permission from the University of Iowa for the logo that they use on their helmets?

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not necessarily. Most colleges and pro teams allow High Schools to use their marks as long as they arent located close to the college campus or team. For instance Notre Dame doesnt allow local schools to use their ND logo without permission. Otherwise people would sell "High School" hats to college fans like crazy without paying royalty to the school with the same marks.

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I don't know that proximity has anything to do with it. The NFL allows schools to use their logos, provided that the schools do not change the colors or modify the logos in any way.

Schools that do use pro logos in different colors (Georgia and Grambling with the Packers' "G" have to secure a special license.

I'm not aware of any colleges licensing their logos. So yes, this high school should expect a C&D letter very soon.

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my company works with over 260 colleges and high schools are generally ignored. very few schools do cease and desists in this case. since i started zephyr in 93 i think ive heard of 3 or 4 of them.

proximity actually does play into many decisions.

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I don't know that proximity has anything to do with it. The NFL allows schools to use their logos, provided that the schools do not change the colors or modify the logos in any way.

Schools that do use pro logos in different colors (Georgia and Grambling with the Packers' "G" have to secure a special license.

I'm not aware of any colleges licensing their logos. So yes, this high school should expect a C&D letter very soon.

A lot of colleges do license their logos. Many do not. High schools can license K-State's 'Power Cat' for $1 per year, but you're not supposed to depict it in red and blue (KU colors).

UW-Madison has been pretty active with C&D letters recently, as has Illinois State University and FSU.

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It can't be anything to do with proximity. I know a local high school up this way (Oak Harbor) uses a logo that's not the same but pretty darned similar to the University of Toledo (it's not a straight re-color, but it's similar enough that a zealous copyright lawyer might look twice) and we're talking maybe 30 miles at most.

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i know that with notre dame there definetly is a proximity issue but i am sure since there are so many high schools (thousands) out there it is probably beyond anybody to really fully control.

in my town there is a jr high using the nhl panthers logo, a jr high using the smu logo, and a high school using the nashville predators logo.

It can't be anything to do with proximity. I know a local high school up this way (Oak Harbor) uses a logo that's not the same but pretty darned similar to the University of Toledo (it's not a straight re-color, but it's similar enough that a zealous copyright lawyer might look twice) and we're talking maybe 30 miles at most.

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but i am sure since there are so many high schools (thousands) out there it is probably beyond anybody to really fully control.

This is the correct answer. You always need permission. Whether the trademark holder will (a) notice that you are using their mark without permission and (b ) demand that you either pay up or stop using it is a whole 'nother story.

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