Hurricane Warning

Jeff Taylor | May 22, 2003

So the University of Miami wants to bolt the Big East conference and join the Atlantic Coast Conference, which promises a bigger chunk of TV dough. Fair enough. But why does UM need to shake down a high school with a threatening copyright infringement letter?

The university claims that the Umatilla High Bulldogs use a logo which is too similar to Miami's "split-U" design. The Florida school district can either stop using the logo, or pay the university $2,000 a month for the rights to use the logo. Three guesses which way the high school is leaning.

Comments

Chas Rich|5.22.03 @ 1:59AM|#

Small correction. You linked to the wrong Umatilla High. The Umatilla Vikings are in Oregon. The Umatilla Bulldogs in Florida is the school under siege.

notre dame fan|5.22.03 @ 2:06AM|#

same school that got upset about the "Catholics vs. convicts" game

|5.22.03 @ 2:16AM|#

What are the chances......

|5.22.03 @ 4:11AM|#

notre dame fan:

I think now that would be "unconvicted felons" vs convicts.

Darrell Porter|5.22.03 @ 4:56AM|#

Well, I don't think you can put all the blame on Miami here.

First, there is apparently an NCAA rule that they must demand "fair compensation" if their trademark is being used. (A dumb NCAA rule? You don't say...)

Next, under trademark law, if they aren't vigilant about policing use of their mark, they could lose their rights. And the "U" mark in question is undoubtedly similar enough to count as infringement.

Sucks for a little high school, but why were they using that mark in the first place? It's like all of the schools that use the "Fighting Irish" name, and then complain when Notre Dame comes knocking on their door.

|8.5.03 @ 12:26PM|#

y does miami have a U in the first place they r miami it makes more since for umatilla to have it and not miami if umatilla changes the U what r they gonna put in its place? miami can easily change theirs to an M it makes since so just quit all the talk and get over it. its not that big of a deal is it i mean come on a high school and a university two totally dif. things y cant they have one thing in common umatilla has enough problems they cant pay $2,000 every month to keep a U so umatilla is gonna have to change their letter not miami doesnt make much since does it?