Washington’s NFL team has asked the United States Supreme Court to hear its case over the controversial “Redskins” trademark, according to Mike Valerio of NBC 12 in Virginia. Back in 2014, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office made the decision to cancel Washington’s trademark for its controversial team name, deeming it offensive to a large number of Native Americans.
Washington NFL team asks Supreme Court to review trademark case
The battle over the “Redskins” trademark continues.
In July 2015, a federal judge affirmed the decision after Washington filed a lawsuit to contest the decision to remove the trademark’s registration. From there, it went to the Fourth Circuit Court of Appeals in Richmond where it is pending review.
This request to the Supreme Court doesn’t take it out of the hands of the Fourth Circuit, but rather Washington would first like the federal judge’s ruling reviewed before their next appeal is heard. If the Supreme Court overturns the decision then it wouldn’t need to be reviewed by the Fourth Circuit.
Team owner Dan Snyder has been adamant that the name is not offensive and that he will not change it under any circumstances. While not everyone is in favor of a name change, it has seemed like Snyder is fighting a war that will eventually go against him in the end. It’s been suggested that they wouldn’t change it even if it led to them getting a new stadium.
That stadium is one of the team’s biggest primary goals, but Snyder feels that strongly about not changing the name. It would likely take pressure from other teams in the league or the NFL itself to convince Washington to change it, regardless of what actually happens with the trademark. Winning or losing the appeal wouldn’t force Washington to change it outright, it would just make merchandising a whole lot more complicated.
Snyder seems more than prepared to deal with that complication.
See More:
