Comments on: Notre Dame to Kansas high school: drop that fighting leprechaun logo

By: John Rohan

John Rohan — Wed, 26 Oct 2011 14:44:44 +0000

Isn’t the expression “the fighting Irish” racist? (just imagine if they used a similar label toward native Americans or Africans) Moreover, you have the racist depiction of Irish people as leprechans! No matter who wins here, I see more lawsuits in the future…

By: Scott Jacobs

Scott Jacobs — Tue, 25 Oct 2011 19:37:58 +0000

They probably don’t want their brand confused for one that can actually play the effing sport. 🙂

And, because I like the irony – Kansas State University’s “powercat” symbol can be licensed by any High School in the US of A for the stunning, exorbitant amount of… One whole dollar per year.

You stay classy, ND.

By: gitarcarver

gitarcarver — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 15:16:26 +0000

In that the money raised by trademark licensing and the selling of trademarked goods goes back to the school to some extend further the educational goals of the school, I have no issues with a school trade marketing their logos and images.

By: bernies

bernies — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 13:48:58 +0000

How does a demand letter that the high school stop using the name/logo protect a copyright any more than a demand letter that the high school pay a nominal $1.00 licensing fee to continue using the name and logo? I’m not an expert on copyright law, but it seems that this would avoid the bad press and still protect the copyright.

By: Bumper

Bumper — Sat, 22 Oct 2011 00:12:53 +0000

Given how poorly Notre Dame has played the past several years I’m a bit surprised the high school hasn’t already made the change to a different mascot.

By: KDP

KDP — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:58:30 +0000

Why does a college need a trademark other than its name? Seems to me like money and not education is the priority at a school like that.

By: John Burgess

John Burgess — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 18:22:05 +0000

@Frank: Or that one is himself Irish (well, only half) and recognizes truthiness when he sees it.

By: Joe

Joe — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:52:14 +0000

Furthermore, the author should have recognized that under the current state of federal trademark law, if Notre Dame does not demand that some little high school stop using the leprechaun, that act of generosity will come back to bite Notre Dame when it tries to stop some much larger entity from profiting of Notre Dame’s trademark. The next “infringer” will be able to argue that Notre Dame waived or forfeited its rights in the trademark, and we all know there’s no point in expecting a jury to do the right thing.

Just another example of how the current legal landscape benefits lawyers while punishing kindness.

By: VMS

VMS — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 17:44:46 +0000

Said Chapman High School principal Kevin Suther, from a KWCH-TV report (via USA Today):

“Well when you get a letter from Notre Dame it gets your attention.

“For anything like stationary and school uniforms as long as its Chapman Fighting Irish, we are still the Fighting Irish”, says Suther.

Speaking of fighting Irish, check out the logo of this New York personal injury firm: http://www.fitzinjuryattorneys.com/

The writer of the article and his editor should learn how to spell stationery.

By: Frank

Frank — Fri, 21 Oct 2011 15:26:28 +0000

re: The Fighting IOrish.

If one doesn’t think of ‘the Fighting Irish of Notre Dame’ but rather simply the fighting Irish, doesn’t that pretty much say “Sure, I’m a bigot.”