Nike: Gronk trademark bid is out of bounds
The world’s No. 1 athletic shoe and clothing company has a beef with one of its athlete endorsers — New England Patriots tight end Rob Gronkowski.
Nike Inc. is opposing Gronk Nation LLC’s U.S. Patent and Trademark Office application to trademark its silhouetted logo of Gronk with his arm raised and about to spike a football, saying it’s confusingly similar to Nike’s iconic trademarked “Jumpman” logo that’s also a silhouette and which Nike has used since at least 1987.
Gronk Nation’s logo would lead to public confusion or deception and cause Nike “grave and irreparable damage,” Nike said in its opposition notice filed with the USPTO’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board this month in response to Gronk Na - tion’s April 2016 trademark application.
Nike has trademark rights to use its logo in connection with clothing, footwear, sporting goods, hosting sporting events and related products and services. Gronk Nation has applied to trademark its logo in connection with clothing, including hats, caps, shirts, T-shirts, jerseys, sweatshirts, pants, jackets and rain jackets.
Gronk Nation has until Aug. 5 to respond to Nike’s claims.
Frank Caprio, a Huntsville, Ala., attorney representing Gronk Nation, said Gronkowski has created “one of the most recognizable brands in sports today.”
“We are very proud of this brand and are optimistic that we will resolve this with Nike amicably,” Caprio said.
Nike did not respond to Herald inquiries. The company has successfully opposed other logos it deemed too similar to its “Jumpman” logo over the years, according to its opposition notice.