Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone" name?

[ketelmeister]

The U of Iowa is suing a local pub owner for using "Hawkeye" in it's name. In Ames alone there is:
Cyclone Liquors
Cyclone Heating and cooling
Cyclone Kennel club
Cyclone Printers
Cyclone Motors
Cyclone Stereo
Cyclone Engineering,
not to mention Cy's Roost. Opinions?

 

[Benny34]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

I don't think so. If anything it is helping support the university.

 

[cyfan964]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

Damn. Does this mean I will never be able to fulfill my dream of opening Iowa State University Bar and Grill?

 

[ketelmeister]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

Damn. Does this mean I will never be able to fulfill my dream of opening Iowa State University Bar and Grill?

There was the "Cyclone Inn" on Lincoln Way at one time, using ISU colors and logos! It was great!

 

[j4state]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

When I made tailgate T-shirts a few years ago I believe the term "Cyclone" was totally okay, where as "Cyclones" and "ISU" were off limits without permission from the university.

 

[ketelmeister]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

I don't think so. If anything it is helping support the university.

I agree...it's fun to have "Cyclone" businesses in a college town!

 

[Benny34]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

I agree...it's fun to have "Cyclone" businesses in a college town!

Exactly....college town.

 

[Jer]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

Any and all use of the words or terms "Cy", "Clone", "Cyclone", "Cyclones", "ISU", etc are strictly prohibited without written permission of Iowa State University. Believe me, any and all use of any and all trademarks relating to ISU in any way will be grounds for legal action.

Luckily I'm on the side that has a formal license agreement, otherwise we would not be allowed to use Cyclone in CycloneFanatic.

It may not seem right for somebody to have a legal right to any use of a common word from the dictionary, but there are legal merits to their claims.

 

[CycloneErik]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

Any and all use of the words or terms "Cy", "Clone", "Cyclone", "Cyclones", "ISU", etc are strictly prohibited without written permission of Iowa State University. Believe me, any and all use of any and all trademarks relating to ISU in any way will be grounds for legal action.

Luckily I'm on the side that has a formal license agreement, otherwise we would not be allowed to use Cyclone in CycloneFanatic.

It may not seem right for somebody to have a legal right to any use of a common word from the dictionary, but there are legal merits to their claims.

I actually hadn't thought of this site having that work in the title. :wideeyed::no:

Good point on the license agreement. You should have an argument with some authority there:wink:

 

[cyfan50438]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

If you look at a qwest dex search, I counted about 240 different "Hawkeye" businesses. The courts will have a field day.

 

[ketelmeister]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

Any and all use of the words or terms "Cy", "Clone", "Cyclone", "Cyclones", "ISU", etc are strictly prohibited without written permission of Iowa State University. Believe me, any and all use of any and all trademarks relating to ISU in any way will be grounds for legal action.

Luckily I'm on the side that has a formal license agreement, otherwise we would not be allowed to use Cyclone in CycloneFanatic.

It may not seem right for somebody to have a legal right to any use of a common word from the dictionary, but there are legal merits to their claims.

Nice post..thanks!

 

[Jer]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

It's also worth pointing out that in order to maintain a legal claim on a name (i.e. Cyclones), the trademark holder has to show they're willing to take legal action against those that infringe on their rights or their trademark could become invalid. Part of that is why you see places like the U of Wisconsin taking action against Waukee for the W even though they don't really care. I think they ended up making Waukee license it for like $1 per year just so it was shown as being clear that U of W had a trademark on the W-like symbol.

 

[ketelmeister]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

It's also worth pointing out that in order to maintain a legal claim on a name (i.e. Cyclones), the trademark holder has to show they're willing to take legal action against those that infringe on their rights or their trademark could become invalid. Part of that is why you see places like the U of Wisconsin taking action against Waukee for the W even though they don't really care. I think they ended up making Waukee license it for like $1 per year just so it was shown as being clear that U of W had a trademark on the W-like symbol.

Question..would places using the "Cyclone" name in their business be grandfathered in, or be liscensed to us it?

 

[jaretac]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

Any and all use of the words or terms "Cy", "Clone", "Cyclone", "Cyclones", "ISU", etc are strictly prohibited without written permission of Iowa State University. Believe me, any and all use of any and all trademarks relating to ISU in any way will be grounds for legal action.

Luckily I'm on the side that has a formal license agreement, otherwise we would not be allowed to use Cyclone in CycloneFanatic.

It may not seem right for somebody to have a legal right to any use of a common word from the dictionary, but there are legal merits to their claims.

See, that is just not right. Maybe we all just really like big tropical storms, why do we need a license agreement from a school.

 

[Jer]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

I can't speak for them or ISU, but I would be willing to bet each one of those places has either been granted a license, come to a formal agreement with ISU or has otherwise been "OK'd" in writing.

I don't agree with the way that simple words can be trademarked, and I made that very clear to ISU years ago, but I understand why they feel they have to do things like they do and I came to an agreement with them long ago.

To be fair to ISU, UofI, etc - they aren't making money off of making people get license agreements and pay licensing fees yearly just to use those terms, it simply doesn't bring in enough revenue for them to worry that much about it. It's all done to protect their name and have some legal recourse against those that infringe on their trademarks.

We pay a licensing fee to use Cyclone and all ISU graphics, logos, etc - and I'm actually surprised it has taken the U of I this long to start enforcing similar requirements.

 

[Jer]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

See, that is just not right. Maybe we all just really like big tropical storms, why do we need a license agreement from a school.

I used similar arguments a few years back:wink:

 

[keepngoal]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

so who created the word Hawkeye???!!! Whose "word" is it really?

IMO, not the UofI's.

-keep

 

[kingcy]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

I have been told ISU is very protective of its name and logos. They are very picky to who sells ISU stuff and what it is used for. Iowa on the other hand will allow just about anyone to use their name and logo and it looks like now they are trying to get control of that.

 

[joberman1]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

you forgot cyclone window and doors and more

 

[ketelmeister]

Re: Should Iowa State protect "Cyclone"name?

I have been told ISU is very protective of its name and logos. They are very picky to who sells ISU stuff and what it is used for. Iowa on the other hand will allow just about anyone to use their name and logo and it looks like now they are trying to get control of that.

hard to put the genee back in the bottle.