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Bills and trademarking “Bills Mafia”

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Shaw66 All Pro

Shaw66

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Just now, Logic said:

If Del's cool with it, I'm cool with it.

Yeah.  The tweet is incorrectly.  It didn't arise "organically."  Del Reid and a couple of other guys created it intentionally.  It's maybe gone someplace they didn't actually intend, but it's theirs.   Bills can't get rights to the tradename unless the people who are the Bills Mafia organization give it to them.  https://buffalofambase.com/what-is-billsmafia/

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gonzo1105 Veteran

gonzo1105

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1 minute ago, Shaw66 said:

Yeah.  The tweet is incorrectly.  It didn't arise "organically."  Del Reid and a couple of other guys created it intentionally.  It's maybe gone someplace they didn't actually intend, but it's theirs.   Bills can't get rights to the tradename unless the people who are the Bills Mafia organization give it to them.  https://buffalofambase.com/what-is-billsmafia/

 

This is what I was going to ask. In all the year's of "Bills Mafia" how in the world has no on trademarked it to allow the Bills to get their hands on it but that answers my question if it was pseudo trademarked and they are selling the rights or giving them the rights etc. 

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Motorin' Veteran

Motorin'

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3 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Yeah.  The tweet is incorrectly.  It didn't arise "organically."  Del Reid and a couple of other guys created it intentionally.  It's maybe gone someplace they didn't actually intend, but it's theirs.   Bills can't get rights to the tradename unless the people who are the Bills Mafia organization give it to them.  https://buffalofambase.com/what-is-billsmafia/

 

The Bills made a deal with those guys last year I believe. 

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JohnNord Veteran

JohnNord

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5 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Yeah.  The tweet is incorrectly.  It didn't arise "organically."  Del Reid and a couple of other guys created it intentionally.  It's maybe gone someplace they didn't actually intend, but it's theirs.   Bills can't get rights to the tradename unless the people who are the Bills Mafia organization give it to them.  https://buffalofambase.com/what-is-billsmafia/


That’s not technically true.  The Bills own the name “Bills.”  You can’t trademark someone else’s trademark.  That would be like me claiming they trademark “Disney Family” 

 

This is why, as someone stated previously, Del Reid handed over the rights to the name “Bills Mafia” to the team for free.  They always owned the trademark.  

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Mr. WEO Hall of Famer

Mr. WEO

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6 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

 

 


That’s not technically true.  The Bills own the name “Bills.”  You can’t trademark someone else’s trademark.  That would be like me claiming they trademark “Disney Family” 

 

This is why, as someone stated previously, Del Reid handed over the rights to the name “Bills Mafia” to the team for free.  They always owned the trademark.  

 

The PFT article in OP suggests they don't own the trademark yet.

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T&C Veteran

T&C

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5 minutes ago, Joe in Winslow said:

Old guy moment:

 

I've never been too keen on the whole moniker, having grown up as a fan before it became a thing.

 

 

Same... but I guess I could see teenagers liking it. I'll just stay a Bills fan.

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Shaw66 All Pro

Shaw66

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21 minutes ago, JohnNord said:

 

 


That’s not technically true.  The Bills own the name “Bills.”  You can’t trademark someone else’s trademark.  That would be like me claiming they trademark “Disney Family” 

 

This is why, as someone stated previously, Del Reid handed over the rights to the name “Bills Mafia” to the team for free.  They always owned the trademark.  

Interesting. Sounds right.  Thanks.  

 

Also makes sense because they never intended to become a real business, but just a fan group.  

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Motorin' Veteran

Motorin'

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2 minutes ago, WhoTom said:

 

It was an offer they couldn't refuse.

 

 

I was a mod on a different Bills board ages ago and remember getting a cease and desist email from a Bills attorney. 

 

They were no longer ok with the use the team name like "buffalobillsfansitexyx.com."

 

They were/ are ok with the use of just Bills, but reserved the right to deny use of the term "Bills" if they so chose. 

 

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KDIGGZ Hall of Famer

KDIGGZ

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I'm certainly not a fan of everything being "woke" and people being so sensitive these days but I just wanted to share this and people can take from it what they will. My grandparents are Sicilian immigrants and don't appreciate the "Bills Mafia" moniker as it has some derogatory and racial undertones from when they were profiled and outcasts growing up in a much more racially segregated society. I'm usually the first to say that it's just a name and it seems silly but if it negatively impacted people then I try to understand and put myself in their shoes.

 

Quick story - My grandpa served in the army putting up communication lines across the middle east during WW2 and when he came home he couldn't even get a job at the phone company. This was the story for a lot of immigrants and the mafia was perhaps a necessary evil to try and level the playing field and provide opportunities and protection for people coming to this country.

 

I'm surprised in this day and age where the Washington football team and Cleveland baseball teams had to change their names that this kind of name is just recently becoming popular and now being placed on official team merchandise. I don't care personally, I didn't live it, but I'm certain that some people don't appreciate it or care for it so take that for what it's worth I guess. A lot of those folks that lived it have since passed so maybe it's becoming acceptable again but I know there is a lot of negativity with that word so I'm just surprised it's caught on so much.

 

Let the eye roll emojis begin. Thanks for your support! 👍

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Don Otreply All Pro

Don Otreply

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54 minutes ago, Shaw66 said:

Yeah.  The tweet is incorrectly.  It didn't arise "organically."  Del Reid and a couple of other guys created it intentionally.  It's maybe gone someplace they didn't actually intend, but it's theirs.   Bills can't get rights to the tradename unless the people who are the Bills Mafia organization give it to them.  https://buffalofambase.com/what-is-billsmafia/

Potential big payday for the people who are the Bills mafia? 

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Motorin' Veteran

Motorin'

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1 minute ago, Don Otreply said:

Potential big payday for the people who are the Bills mafia? 

 

I don't think so. They can't get paid for their use of the Bills trademark and logo that they Incorporated into the Bills Mafia name and logo. 

 

I think they gladly accosted formal recognition and partnerships with the Bills, but I'd be surprised if they got a big pay day outright. 

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Don Otreply All Pro

Don Otreply

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1 minute ago, Motorin' said:

 

I don't think so. They can't get paid for their use of the Bills trademark and logo that they Incorporated into the Bills Mafia name and logo. 

 

I think they gladly accosted formal recognition and partnerships with the Bills, but I'd be surprised if they got a big pay day outright. 

I would think a licensing agreement could happen, I would think lawyers are working on both sides to come to an agreement of usage, 

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WhoTom All Pro

WhoTom

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16 minutes ago, KDIGGZ said:

I'm surprised in this day and age where the Washington football team and Cleveland baseball teams had to change their names that this kind of name is just recently becoming popular and now being placed on official team merchandise. I don't care personally, I didn't live it, but I'm certain that some people don't appreciate it or care for it so take that for what it's worth I guess.

 

I'm also of Sicilian ancestry. No mob ties as far as I know, but I still dislike the moniker. I don't think it's my ethnicity that makes me feel that way, I just don't want my team associated with mobsters. I find it odd that an organization that emphasizes character among its players and other employees would embrace such a connection.

 

 

 

 

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Motorin' Veteran

Motorin'

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8 minutes ago, Don Otreply said:

I would think a licensing agreement could happen, I would think lawyers are working on both sides to come to an agreement of usage, 

 

The article Gugny just posted is pretty clear that the Bills didn't have to reach out to Del and those guys, but did so out of respect. 

 

From a financial standpoint, you can't take someone's billion dollar brand, add your own twist to it as a fan brand and have any standing to make money for yourself claiming it's now your trademark. The Bills own the Bills trademark. 

 

Pretty cool the relationship the original Bills Mafia guys have with the team though. 

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