Tuesday, February 19, 2013

CIAA takes to different court

Lawsuit part of league drive to protect brand

CHARLOTTE, North Carolina  --  The CIAA’s campaign against unsanctioned use its name during its annual basketball tournament is consistent with its more aggressive deterrence policy.

Last week’s filing of a federal lawsuit in Charlotte against party promoters and vendors alleged to have used the athletic conference’s name to hype non-sanctioned events and products is in keeping with new commissioner Jacqie Carpenter’s pledge to defend its trademarks against unauthorized appropriation.

“If somebody was attaching your name and not using it for things that are healthy for your family, what would you do?” Carpenter said last month at a press conference to unveil the league’s new seal and basketball tournament logo. “We have a brand that’s our family brand and if you want to use it, just go through the right process of using it. Don’t say you love the CIAA but don’t want to use it properly in the right form or the right way. It’s our job to protect our brand.”

The CIAA has become big business in Charlotte, where the annual basketball tournament brought $50 million in spending to the local economy last year, according to the Charlotte Regional Visitors Authority. In addition to the basketball tournament at Time Warner Cable Arena, parties and events ...

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