NFL logo copyrights

[slapshot]

<snip>

It should not be the obligation of the school/team to check the lawful use of something they are legally purchasing from a vendor.

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It's funny you bring this up. If this is the case, there is no way a designer could create logos for businesses for as little as the market currently demands if the designer is on the hook for researching infringement. If the designer is responsible for it, there is no way a logo can be made for even as little as a few hundred dollars.

For the pro designers, who is responsible?

My point is that if the artwork is purchases lawfully from the vendor, the rights are assumed to be legal. It's not up to the buyer to research the rights...it is assumed that the vendor has the rights to sell it, if the transaction is legal. How is the user supposed to know that the vendor did not have the rights to distribute it? In this case, it's not fair to penalize the buyer when the vendor is at fault.

If the vendor is using illegally-obtained artwork, that's another situation entirely.

[OnWis97]

These schools are setting the example for their students that it is better to rip-off other people's work, than to actually spend time and / or money doing it the right way. Yet if any of the players on these teams got caught turning in somebody else's work, they'd be in a lot of trouble. Makes perfect sense... I guess.

Another interesting point. I never looked at it from that angle. Even if a league/team says it's OK to "borrow", what message does it send when the (fictional) Oak City Eagles just take the Philly Eagle logo and place it in red and yellow on their t-shirts (I feel like that's the logo I most frequently see on high school stuff)? Not just to designers, but in general. Maybe it's a bit indirect, but it could be argued that it's setting an example of laziness and lack of initiative. And, depending on the interpretation of the rules, cutting legal corners. "Uh, I don't know. Let's just recolor the Philadelphia Eagles logo."

[BBTV]

These schools are setting the example for their students that it is better to rip-off other people's work, than to actually spend time and / or money doing it the right way. Yet if any of the players on these teams got caught turning in somebody else's work, they'd be in a lot of trouble. Makes perfect sense... I guess.

*Note, I play football for a school that uses the Saints logo for it's football "identity"*

I'll be honest when I tell you, most players don't care. All we care about is the game it's self. We'll talk once and awhile about the uniforms but it really isn't setting the school on fire that we use the saints logo. Think about yourself in high school, did you care deeply about the logo on the helmet's of the football team? Besides that, the school I go to is privet and I think we have bigger issues than the logo on our football helmets.

I see how it's ironic but spare us the "do it for the children" act.

Actually, I did, and begged our coaches to get decals for our helmets for my senior year. We had a big D with a greyhound (or Whippet) going through it... not sure where they got the design from, and honestly, back then, I wouldn't have cared either.

Of course most players don't care (though I'm not sure how you wouldn't feel more pride playing in a logo that's unique to you, but I do understand how in high school, the logo probably is more associated locally with the HS and not the pro team.)

You're misreading me with the "for the children" part. What I'm saying is that it's hypocritical for a school to bust a kid for plagiarism or cheating, when they do this. If I were to get busted for this, the first thing I'd do is point out the thievery of the logos (assuming of course that they aren't used legally.) I know what's coming next, and I know that most students / players wouldn't even be aware of such things, but I guess I was different back then, since I was really in to sports logos stuff like that.

[Gothamite]

<snip>

It should not be the obligation of the school/team to check the lawful use of something they are legally purchasing from a vendor.

<snip>

It's funny you bring this up. If this is the case, there is no way a designer could create logos for businesses for as little as the market currently demands if the designer is on the hook for researching infringement. If the designer is responsible for it, there is no way a logo can be made for even as little as a few hundred dollars.

For the pro designers, who is responsible?

My point is that if the artwork is purchases lawfully from the vendor, the rights are assumed to be legal. It's not up to the buyer to research the rights...it is assumed that the vendor has the rights to sell it, if the transaction is legal. How is the user supposed to know that the vendor did not have the rights to distribute it? In this case, it's not fair to penalize the buyer when the vendor is at fault.

If the vendor is using illegally-obtained artwork, that's another situation entirely.

I think it would depend on the circumstances.

If you buy a television from Best Buy, you have a reasonable expectation that it's not stolen. If you buy a television from a guy on the corner, not so much.

If the school is dealing with a legitimate designer or company, perhaps they also have that reasonable expectation. Doesn't allow them to keep using the stolen logo, but might shield them from penalties for the time in which they used it.

[fkaKrock5cent]

These schools are setting the example for their students that it is better to rip-off other people's work, than to actually spend time and / or money doing it the right way. Yet if any of the players on these teams got caught turning in somebody else's work, they'd be in a lot of trouble. Makes perfect sense... I guess.

*Note, I play football for a school that uses the Saints logo for it's football "identity"*

I'll be honest when I tell you, most players don't care. All we care about is the game it's self. We'll talk once and awhile about the uniforms but it really isn't setting the school on fire that we use the saints logo. Think about yourself in high school, did you care deeply about the logo on the helmet's of the football team? Besides that, the school I go to is privet and I think we have bigger issues than the logo on our football helmets.

I see how it's ironic but spare us the "do it for the children" act.

Actually, I did, and begged our coaches to get decals for our helmets for my senior year. We had a big D with a greyhound (or Whippet) going through it... not sure where they got the design from, and honestly, back then, I wouldn't have cared either.

Of course most players don't care (though I'm not sure how you wouldn't feel more pride playing in a logo that's unique to you, but I do understand how in high school, the logo probably is more associated locally with the HS and not the pro team.)

You're misreading me with the "for the children" part. What I'm saying is that it's hypocritical for a school to bust a kid for plagiarism or cheating, when they do this. If I were to get busted for this, the first thing I'd do is point out the thievery of the logos (assuming of course that they aren't used legally.) I know what's coming next, and I know that most students / players wouldn't even be aware of such things, but I guess I was different back then, since I was really in to sports logos stuff like that.

Again, I see your point and I wish we used the original logo that we put on the merchandise we sell on the football jerseys.

Now that you've explained your theory about cheating it makes more sense, thanks for reiterating that.