SLU_Lax Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 Stumbled into this and thought I would share...not the greatest....but I gave it a glance. https://www.ksdk.com/gallery/sports/college/slu/slu-basketball/the-billiken-logo-through-the-years/63-2358e160-05de-4d5a-ba92-e0b837fdb0b9 rgbilliken likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 50 minutes ago, SLU_Lax said: Stumbled into this and thought I would share...not the greatest....but I gave it a glance. https://www.ksdk.com/gallery/sports/college/slu/slu-basketball/the-billiken-logo-through-the-years/63-2358e160-05de-4d5a-ba92-e0b837fdb0b9 Does anyone here know if SLU still holds the copyright/trademark whatever it's called on these old logos? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
SluSignGuy Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 1 hour ago, billikenfan05 said: Does anyone here know if SLU still holds the copyright/trademark whatever it's called on these old logos? My uncle had a great idea to make a t-shirt with all of the versions of the Billiken on it. I tried to make it myself, but shirt printers wouldn't print it out of fear of trademark violation. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted May 29, 2019 Share Posted May 29, 2019 1 hour ago, SluSignGuy said: My uncle had a great idea to make a t-shirt with all of the versions of the Billiken on it. I tried to make it myself, but shirt printers wouldn't print it out of fear of trademark violation. I have my ways around that Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bills71 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 Somebody here must work for the University and should be able to answer the question of Trademark? Though I suspect that at least the older ones are no longer if ever protected. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QUAILMAN Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 3 hours ago, SluSignGuy said: My uncle had a great idea to make a t-shirt with all of the versions of the Billiken on it. I tried to make it myself, but shirt printers wouldn't print it out of fear of trademark violation. Can confirm that there is at least one local screen printing company that will make the shirts. Can also confirm that you will end up with a cease and desist. JMM28 likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 3 hours ago, QUAILMAN said: Can confirm that there is at least one local screen printing company that will make the shirts. Can also confirm that you will end up with a cease and desist. I’m not so sure about that. Maybe it comes from Learfield. I’m not sure SLU adept actually pays enough attention to notice. Only reason you got a letter was the concern over that eligibility QUAILMAN likes this Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 I'm told Marketing and Communication still owns the logos. Just an FYI Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
razorburn Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 38 minutes ago, billikenfan05 said: I'm told Marketing and Communication still owns the logos. Just an FYI Interesting … I’m wondering how legitimate these claimed rights are. U.S. trademark rights are subject to the “use 'em or loose 'em rule.” In other words, you need to be using the mark/ logo in commerce (i.e., for sale) in order to claim any active trademark rights. Case in point, the TM registration for one of the Bills’ old logos was cancelled (See U.S. TM Reg. No. 1,729,458) in 2016 based on the failure to file the required statement of use to maintain the registration. If SLU challenged your screen-printing of an old logo that they no longer use, I’m feeling that you could argue that SLU has lost any rights in the old logos based on abandonment of these rights (i.e., they re-branded and no longer sell apparel with that logo). That said, if they can show that they currently sell apparel with the older logos (i.e., retro gear), they could probably show that they own active rights to the marks (albeit not registered) and challenge the screen printer’s printing of the shirts. That said, they’d have a tough time coming after you individually, provided you are only using the shirts for yourself and not selling them to others. I’m not sure on the strength of any copyright claim they could make. I did a quick check of the U.S. Copyright Office database and did not find any registrations for the logo. *Disclaimer: not legal advice. Consult with an attorney if you are facing a legal issue. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kappy96 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 22 hours ago, SluSignGuy said: My uncle had a great idea to make a t-shirt with all of the versions of the Billiken on it. I tried to make it myself, but shirt printers wouldn't print it out of fear of trademark violation. I did this in college...made a couple of runs of them before we caught any heat from the school. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
billikenfan05 Posted May 30, 2019 Share Posted May 30, 2019 1 hour ago, razorburn said: Interesting … I’m wondering how legitimate these claimed rights are. U.S. trademark rights are subject to the “use 'em or loose 'em rule.” In other words, you need to be using the mark/ logo in commerce (i.e., for sale) in order to claim any active trademark rights. Case in point, the TM registration for one of the Bills’ old logos was cancelled (See U.S. TM Reg. No. 1,729,458) in 2016 based on the failure to file the required statement of use to maintain the registration. If SLU challenged your screen-printing of an old logo that they no longer use, I’m feeling that you could argue that SLU has lost any rights in the old logos based on abandonment of these rights (i.e., they re-branded and no longer sell apparel with that logo). That said, if they can show that they currently sell apparel with the older logos (i.e., retro gear), they could probably show that they own active rights to the marks (albeit not registered) and challenge the screen printer’s printing of the shirts. That said, they’d have a tough time coming after you individually, provided you are only using the shirts for yourself and not selling them to others. I’m not sure on the strength of any copyright claim they could make. I did a quick check of the U.S. Copyright Office database and did not find any registrations for the logo. *Disclaimer: not legal advice. Consult with an attorney if you are facing a legal issue. The only thing I've ever seen sold with the old logos, I have a banner that shows every logo except the Rice Crispy billiken. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
QUAILMAN Posted May 31, 2019 Share Posted May 31, 2019 7 hours ago, razorburn said: That said, they’d have a tough time coming after you individually, provided you are only using the shirts for yourself and not selling them to others. All good points in your post. Regarding this statement here, I made this argument when I got the cease and desist for the Jordair shirts, but their valid counter was that even if I’m not profiting, others are (plaint t-shirt manufactures as well as the screen printer). Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Slufan10 Posted February 11, 2021 Share Posted February 11, 2021 Xavier women's soccer schedule shows the old Billiken https://goxavier.com/sports/womens-soccer/schedule/2021 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
WUH Posted February 12, 2021 Share Posted February 12, 2021 At a time when most colleges and universities partnered with Spencer Advertising or Leder, Street and Zeus to produce souvenir football and basketball programs, SLU created many of their own program covers. Many are hand drawn or hand painted. Just one of a few reasons why there are many versions of the Saint Louis University Billiken, official or otherwise. Here is a great, but way overpriced example from 1949, a game against the Missouri Tigers: https://www.ebay.com/itm/Rare-Feb-26-1949-St-Louis-Billikens-Basketball-Program-Easy-Ed-MaCauley-Final/254495293643?hash=item3b411a00cb:g:sVgAAOSw~EReL6fJ You might be able to find one of the more obscure versions. How would Marcom even now? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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