Haynes and Boone, LLP Associate Mike McArthur talked with Law360 about the Washington, D.C., NFL team’s plans to drop its controversial name and logo until new ones are selected, a move experts say provides breathing room to properly undertake the complicated process of rebranding and acquiring the rights to use new marks amid pressure to avoid further controversy.
Here is an excerpt:
The team said it will immediately go by "Washington Football Team" pending the adoption of a new name. It will remove the previous name of Redskins, a racist slur against Native Americans, and accompanying logo from team properties and the team's uniforms for the 2020 season.
The temporary change comes after the team announced it would drop that name and logo following pressure from sponsors, specifically the team's stadium sponsor FedEx. The team, including owner Dan Snyder and new head coach Ron Rivera, are working to select a new look.
With the 2020 season set to kick off in September, experts said the team was under a significant time crunch in the sensitive process of selecting a new name and logo that satisfies not only fans but sponsors and the Native American community.
"Rebranding takes time, especially something that is going to have this much attention on it," said Mike McArthur, a trademark attorney with Haynes and Boone, LLP. "I think it is a great call for them to work with the marketing team, work with their trademark attorneys, work with their leaders in the community to come up with the appropriate name."
"Now that they are not under such a time crunch they have a much better chance of coming up with something that is acceptable to the masses," McArthur added.
To read the full article, click here.
Here is an excerpt:
The team said it will immediately go by "Washington Football Team" pending the adoption of a new name. It will remove the previous name of Redskins, a racist slur against Native Americans, and accompanying logo from team properties and the team's uniforms for the 2020 season.
The temporary change comes after the team announced it would drop that name and logo following pressure from sponsors, specifically the team's stadium sponsor FedEx. The team, including owner Dan Snyder and new head coach Ron Rivera, are working to select a new look.
With the 2020 season set to kick off in September, experts said the team was under a significant time crunch in the sensitive process of selecting a new name and logo that satisfies not only fans but sponsors and the Native American community.
"Rebranding takes time, especially something that is going to have this much attention on it," said Mike McArthur, a trademark attorney with Haynes and Boone, LLP. "I think it is a great call for them to work with the marketing team, work with their trademark attorneys, work with their leaders in the community to come up with the appropriate name."
"Now that they are not under such a time crunch they have a much better chance of coming up with something that is acceptable to the masses," McArthur added.
To read the full article, click here.