You Can't Fix Stupid (1 Viewer)

[Alan]

I sure as hell wouldn't wear a shirt to work that said "My Boss is a MORON!"

Ohhh but I bet you'd like to on occasion! I know I would...

So you take the Powerade logo off and sell them out of his shop..I wish I would have bought one. The phrase is going to be classic now.

 

[Mr. Jean]

Correct me if I'm wrong here, but I thought anything with a NHRA logo to be sold period, had to get an advanced approval in order to sell them. Larry could be in deep trouble legally. Doesn't matter what the message is, no approval, no selling.

I know, he stopped now, but it still could be a big problem, if they choose to go after him, as an example.

 

[scubasteve]

wont comment much on nhra policy as i just paid a 1000 dollar fine myself, suppose to be ammended to 500 but not holding my breath, that being said larry is one of my favs, and being a fellow buckeye is just one more feather in his cap lol. i need one of those shirts larry

 

[Rich]

I'm not sure that the NHRA can be considered to be the bad guy in this matter. I'm no lawyer, but I believe that organizations that hold trademarks have a legal obligation to protect those trademarks from infringement in order to retain them as protected property.

For instance, I used to do some annual volunteer work for an organization I support and each year we used to get a sheet of instructions in legalese telling us what we could and couldn't do with the organization's corporate logo. Included in those instructions was a statement that the organization was obligated by law to take pro-active measures to protect its' trademark.

 

[None]

http://www.competitionplus.com/2006_07/rumors.html

Ouch! Copyright infringement is a scary thing. If I were Larry I wouldn't be scared so much of NHRA, but more so of Coca Cola.

I think the logos are required to sell at the track. He was following the rules?

 

[None]

Sometimes you have to do things to get their attention. Ask Jim Jannard. He had too.

 

[TD]

I used to do that when I was self-employed.

And the "Boss" was ALWAYS right too, wasn't he, Tom?

 

[TD]

I'm not sure that the NHRA can be considered to be the bad guy in this matter. I'm no lawyer, but I believe that organizations that hold trademarks have a legal obligation to protect those trademarks from infringement in order to retain them as protected property.

For instance, I used to do some annual volunteer work for an organization I support and each year we used to get a sheet of instructions in legalese telling us what we could and couldn't do with the organization's corporate logo. Included in those instructions was a statement that the organization was obligated by law to take pro-active measures to protect its' trademark.

If he was giving NHRA their 30% or whatever it is, and the shirts said, "I Love NHRA", do you honestly think we'd even be posting on this thread?

 

[Rich]

If he was giving NHRA their 30% or whatever it is, and the shirts said, "I Love NHRA", do you honestly think we'd even be posting on this thread?

Of course not. But if the trademark was used without permission then there very well might be the same issue even if the shirts said "I love NHRA".

 

[TD]

Of course not. But if the trademark was used without permission then there very well might be the same issue even if the shirts said "I love NHRA".

OK. Point taken. And you paid them how much for your avatar?

 

[Prestaged]

I think this whole thing is a reflection of where our sport is today compared to where it started -- with a bunch of rebels who needed a safe place to race. Jungle Jim must be rolling over. I've always liked Morgan -- like him even more now. Gotta get one of those shirts.

 

[Mr. Jean]

OK. Point taken. And you paid them how much for your avatar?

He isn't trying to sell it.

 

[ReactionTimes]

I think the logos are required to sell at the track. He was following the rules?

Are they? So you're telling me in order to sell a Team (whether it be PRO or Sportsman) Tshirt it has to have the NHRA PowerAde logo on it? I hadn't a clue. Seriously!

 

[Nitrohaulic]

I'm not sure that the NHRA can be considered to be the bad guy in this matter. I'm no lawyer, but I believe that organizations that hold trademarks have a legal obligation to protect those trademarks from infringement in order to retain them as protected property.

For instance, I used to do some annual volunteer work for an organization I support and each year we used to get a sheet of instructions in legalese telling us what we could and couldn't do with the organization's corporate logo. Included in those instructions was a statement that the organization was obligated by law to take pro-active measures to protect its' trademark.

Trademarks and patents are only as good as your willingness and ability to enforce them. I don't know how a company can be legally "obligated" to pursue civil matters.

 

[Demon]

In "light" of all of this,NHRA did appear to fix the problem.And I will buy a couple of Larry's shirts too.

 

[BlueStangGT]

And the "Boss" was ALWAYS right too, wasn't he, Tom?

lol... Yeah, it was a real bizarre relationship.

 

[TD]

He isn't trying to sell it.

No, But he's using it and I'm gonna go out on a limb and say he didn't get written permission to do so. Look, the point in my first post was this: The NHRA brass aren't concerned about copyright infringement or using their hallowed logo for some other purpose than enrichening the corporate coffers, Larry Morgan's Tshirts were making them look bad, plain and simple and the only way they could stop it was to claim copyright infringement. Any other time it would be considered free advertising. OK?
Everyone have a safe weekend, Let's go racing!

 

[Mr. Jean]

No, But he's using it and I'm gonna go out on a limb and say he did't get written permission to do so. Look, the point in my first post was this: The NHRA brass aren't concerned about copyright infringement or using their hallowed logo for some other purpose than enrichening the corporate coffers, Larry Morgan's Tshirts were making them look bad, plain and simple and the only way they could stop it was to claim copyright infringement. Any other time it would be considered free advertising. OK?
Everyone have a safe weekend, Let's go racing!

I'm agreeing with you. I was only speaking from a legal stand point. My concern was for Larry.

 

[Nitrohaulic]

I would think that they would just use the infringement angle in order to make him stop it, that they're not going to launch an all out legal assault to punish him with all that a court would allow while he's still an NHRA pro competitor. I like anyone with the guts to say what they think in the middle of a corporate world but, "stupid" does cross the "respect" line that we've been talking about.

 

[Zak]

No, But he's using it and I'm gonna go out on a limb and say he didn't get written permission to do so. Look, the point in my first post was this: The NHRA brass aren't concerned about copyright infringement or using their hallowed logo for some other purpose than enrichening the corporate coffers, Larry Morgan's Tshirts were making them look bad, plain and simple and the only way they could stop it was to claim copyright infringement. Any other time it would be considered free advertising. OK?
Everyone have a safe weekend, Let's go racing!

Copyrights are abused so much on the internet, it's just not funny anymore.

That being said, use of the NHRA logo (or any corporate logo) as an avatar (or by any means) without permission would be an infringement.

If they don't protect it everywhere and every time, they'll have problems fighting for it in the future. No one is going to battle over $100 worth of t-shirts - there would be more in attorney fees.

But, if a corporation doesn't protect their trademark unilaterally, it can run into problems where the "mark" becomes synonymous with a type of product, making it nearly impossible to defend in the future.

Off the top of my head - when you blow your nose.... you use a ?? Kleenex? When you decide to make a copy of a document... do you Xerox it? (That's old school I know). There are more examples - I just can't put my finger on it right now.

Did I have a point? Oh, if the NHRA doesn't protect their 'marks' consistently, somewhere, someday, someone will be able to afford to fight that battle and probably win.

For the record - I thought Larry's shirts were tremendously funny - he should remove the logo and continue to sell them - I wish I had one of the collectors edition one also!