American is a very generic name in the USA!

American is not a very generic name in terms of college sports.

(07-21-2014 07:29 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  American is not a very generic name in terms of college sports.

NCAA Conferences with word American in their Name:

Division I
American East Conference
American Athletic Conference
Others
America Sky Conference
American Lacrosse Conference (women)
Great America Rifle Conference
Division III
American Southwest Conference
NAIA
American Midwest Conference
Heart of America Athletic Conference

So you see, AAC would be a day late and a dollar short on this issue!

(07-21-2014 07:45 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 07:29 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  American is not a very generic name in terms of college sports.

NCAA Conferences with word American in their Name:

Division I
American East Conference
American Athletic Conference
Others
America Sky Conference
American Lacrosse Conference (women)
Great America Rifle Conference
Division III
American Southwest Conference
NAIA
American Midwest Conference
Heart of America Athletic Conference

So you see, AAC would be a day late and a dollar short on this issue!

First of all, they're called "America East Conference". Not "American".

Secondly, it doesn't matter if they're not the first, all that matters is that they were founded before the network was.

Lastly, it's probably not something worth pursuing, even if there is any legal grounds to stand on.

"Pacific" and "PAC" are used by a crapton of conferences as well, but you can bet your butt if some third party formed the "PAC sports network", they'd be getting a C&D letter from the Pac 12.

(07-21-2014 08:02 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 07:45 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 07:29 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  American is not a very generic name in terms of college sports.

NCAA Conferences with word American in their Name:

Division I
American East Conference
American Athletic Conference
Others
America Sky Conference
American Lacrosse Conference (women)
Great America Rifle Conference
Division III
American Southwest Conference
NAIA
American Midwest Conference
Heart of America Athletic Conference

So you see, AAC would be a day late and a dollar short on this issue!

First of all, they're called "America East Conference". Not "American".

Secondly, it doesn't matter if they're not the first, all that matters is that they were founded before the network was.

Lastly, it's probably not something worth pursuing, even if there is any legal grounds to stand on.

"Pacific" and "PAC" are used by a crapton of conferences as well, but you can bet your butt if someone formed the "PAC sports network", they'd be getting a C&D letter from the Pac 12.

But it is still up to a Judge or a Jury, so who knows, whom would prevail.

Where can you search to see what phrases were copyrighted by AAC? I thought it would be here on the US Copyright Office search page. But I didn't see anything for AAC. I actually only saw items for the Big 12 and no other conference (that I searched for).



I might be completely wrong in my searching methods, and would love to learn something new.

(07-21-2014 09:02 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  Where can you search to see what phrases were copyrighted by AAC? I thought it would be here on the US Copyright Office search page. But I didn't see anything for AAC. I actually only saw items for the Big 12 and no other conference (that I searched for).



I might be completely wrong in my searching methods, and would love to learn something new.

Just kidding. It is a Trademark.

Looks like we TMed "THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE" but abandoned it

Obviously, and "AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE". Along with it, it states "NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "ATHLETIC CONFERENCE" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN".


Everyone know this one.

Or these:




But check out these one that were filed, but later abandoned:

(07-21-2014 09:19 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 09:02 AM)PGPirate Wrote:  Where can you search to see what phrases were copyrighted by AAC? I thought it would be here on the US Copyright Office search page. But I didn't see anything for AAC. I actually only saw items for the Big 12 and no other conference (that I searched for).



I might be completely wrong in my searching methods, and would love to learn something new.

Just kidding. It is a Trademark.

Looks like we TMed "THE AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE" but abandoned it

Obviously, and "AMERICAN ATHLETIC CONFERENCE". Along with it, it states "NO CLAIM IS MADE TO THE EXCLUSIVE RIGHT TO USE "ATHLETIC CONFERENCE" APART FROM THE MARK AS SHOWN".

A lot of times disputes of this nature arise due to brand confusion. As in, a direct trademark violation is not happening (i.e. selling shirts with "Johnny Football" on it), but the product/name in question either deliberately or unknowingly creates enough doubt or misinterpretation in the mind of a layperson as to assume that such a product is associated with a company, when in reality it isn't.

And it looks like the Mid-American Conference trademarked MACTION

I wonder if the Sunbelt trademarked "Funbelt". If not, they should.

Other names our conference could've been (due to what was filed):

(MCC), UAC, AMC, BCC, Big Cities Conference, Metropolitan Collegiate Conference, American Metro Conference, United Athletic Conference, Great Cities, Great Cities Conference, All American Conference, America 12 Conference, America 12

(07-21-2014 07:16 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  If the American wanted to force the issue and seek a name change for the network, they probably could and would prevail. It's debatable whether it's a worthwhile endeavor, though.

No, they would lose. They were not even the first conference to use the "American name." Speaking of which...

(07-21-2014 08:02 AM)ElectricCoogaloo Wrote:  

(07-21-2014 07:45 AM)Wilkie01 Wrote:  [quote='ElectricCoogaloo' pid='10921559' dateline='1405945770']
American is not a very generic name in terms of college sports.

NCAA Conferences with word American in their Name:

So you see, AAC would be a day late and a dollar short on this issue!

First of all, they're called "America East Conference". Not "American".

Well, ahem, "first of all" the network is called the "American" Sports Network, not the "American Athletic" Sports network.

As Wilkie said, nothing to see here.