The Olympics in Rio are just more than 1/2 over. There is still a lot of action over the next few days. Rule 40 has limited the ability of athletes to promote themselves and their sponsors (unless they are official Olympic sponsors). The Olympic Committee is notorious for policing trademark issues vigorously to protect the investments of their sponsors, and the “Olympic” name and trademarks receive special protection from US Congress and from the host country. (See How a federal statute allows the Olympics to be a trademark bully for more.)
Here are some fun trademarks related to the Games:
- #rioready – pending application by USOC
- OLYMPIC CHANNEL – registered for IOC
- RIO TO RIO – register by USOC
– registered by IOC in 2012
- TEAM USA – registered by USOC
- DREAM TEAM – registered by NBA
- USAIN BOLT – several registrations
(Usain Bolt logo) – several registrations
- MICHAEL PHELPS – registered for “Advertising, promotion and publicity services, namely, promoting the goods, services, brand identity and commercial information and news of third parties through print, audio, video, digital and on-line medium”
(Phelps logo, displayed on the front of his swim cap) – pending application for swim caps and other items. Interesting article: Bizarre rule allows Michael Phelps to market his brand while other Olympians can’t (Yahoo! Finance)
- COACH K – registered by USA Basketball coach Mike Krzyzewski
