Sports & Whatever

Tag: intellectual property

  • Maryland Owns the Racetrack. Churchill Downs Owns the Race.

    Governor Wes Moore announced Maryland’s acquisition of Laurel Park for $48.5 million, completing the state’s thoroughbred racing infrastructure. However, Churchill Downs purchased the Preakness Stakes trademark for $85 million, leaving Maryland with weakened negotiating power over future licensing and branding, despite its significant financial investment in the racing industry.

  • When Bureaucracy Meets Baseball: Is the Government Overreaching on the Athletics’ Trademark?

    The Oakland Athletics face trademark hurdles as they prepare to relocate to Las Vegas, with the USPTO denying their applications for “Las Vegas Athletics” on grounds of geographic descriptiveness. Despite their century-long identity, they cannot register the name until they play there, highlighting bureaucratic rigidity versus brand recognition.