Bills File Trademark application on BillsMafia

[LabattBlue]

Damn...I was hoping the moniker would go away someday.  Instead the Bills trademarking makes it seem that they are embracing it, and will use it going forward.  
 

😞

[Blainorama5]

I've been a graphic designer for over 30 years and ... how should I delicately phrase my constructive criticism ...

 

That logo SUCKS!!!!

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Just now, C.Biscuit97 said:

You’re not being serious are you? 

yes I am.  
 

I lived in an area where the Mob was prevalent 

 

I was in a restaurant that had pipe bombs thrown at an hour after I left the place. 
 

in their presence you never used the word Mafia

 

[BuffaloMatt]

I'm sure it was an offer he couldn't refuse. 

[thenorthremembers]

4 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

You’re not being serious are you? 

He just may be.  Mafia is not a widely known phrase.  I for one am at a total loss as to what it means, or represents.

 

I also eat lead.

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

Just now, thenorthremembers said:

He just may be.  Mafia is not a widely known phrase.  I for one am at a total loss as to what it means, or represents.

 

I also eat lead.

You’re not being serious are you? 

 

 😆 

[JustWinPlease]

14 minutes ago, C.Biscuit97 said:

It’s a big corporation stepping on a small business.  Business wise, it’s makes total sense but it is completely scummy.  Someone can up with the term (which honestly I think is a corny but you can not deny it has taken off) and the Bills are stealing their idea.  
 

I hope there is more to the story (maybe throwing some money) but just being at work and looking quickly, it seems really crappy to do.

Well it wasn't a smart business decision to start a business around a phrase and not trademark the idea.

The Bills are making the smart business decision that the Bills Mafia people should've made on day one.

[RoyBatty is alive]

1 minute ago, Back the Blue said:

Damn...I was hoping the moniker would go away someday.  Instead the Bills trademarking makes it seem that they are embracing it, and will use it going forward.  
 

😞

 

That is an awfully bold assumption on your part.

 

Who knows, maybe they put in the trademark protection because the Bills organization DOESN"T like the image it portrays, like the drunks jumping on tables, maybe they did trademark the term so  isn't plastered all over t-shirts and other paraphernalia.

[SDS]

21 minutes ago, Mr. WEO said:

So if I opened a restaurant called Bills Grill with no Buffalo bills colors/signage etc, they could send a cease and desist?  I could not trademark my places name?

what everyone is missing here is that broadcasters, NFL personalities, players, etc...’have adopted that terminology towards the team. Therefore that term is recognized by society as being associated with the Buffalo Bills. That’s where this got ugly for some people. Honestly, this is the correct decision and I have wondered why it was taken this long to come down.

3 minutes ago, JustWinPlease said:

Well it wasn't a smart business decision to start a business around a phrase and not trademark the idea.

The Bills are making the smart business decision that the Bills Mafia people should've made on day one.

that would have never been granted

[Ethan in Cleveland]

I know I am in the minority but others have supported me. I hate the Bills mafia moniker. Especially the drunken table jumping morons. Its an emberassment to the team and anyone from the region. 

[Freddie's Dead]

This is nothing more, nothing less, than IP theft.  The Bills no more own #BillsMafia than Mark Zuckerberg owned Facebook (stolen from the Winklevoss twins) or Bill Gates owned Windows (stolen from Apple, who in turn stole it from Xerox PARC).  I've had my IP stolen, and there is no lower form of life on earth than the IP thief.  I get that #BillsMafia could not be trademarked or copyrighted because it used the Bills name.  But for the Pegulas to turn around and try to trademark it now, after someone else popularized the name, that's nothing but IP theft.  Unfortunately, thems with the lawyers and money wins.

[RoyBatty is alive]

Just now, Ethan in Portland said:

I know I am in the minority but others have supported me. I hate the Bills mafia moniker. Especially the drunken table jumping morons. Its an emberassment to the team and anyone from the region. 

 

Yep, read my post 3 back.  The term doesnt bother me at all BUT i think it might irritate/embarrass the organization.  Trademark is one attempt to control its unauthorized spread.  

[LeGOATski]

1 minute ago, SDS said:

what everyone is missing here is that broadcasters, NFL personalities, players, etc...’have adopted that terminology towards the team. Therefore that term is recognized by society as being associated with the Buffalo Bills. That’s where this got ugly for some people. Honestly, this is the correct decision and I have wondered why it was taken this long to come down.

I assume they were monitoring it from the beginning to see where the term and team went.

 

 

The term and the team are kind of hitting their stride together and it will be thrown around a lot more by "influencers."

[Wayne Cubed]

As I work in creative design I feel qualified to say, that is an absolutely awful logo.

 

Thanks for coming to my Ted Talk.

[Buffalo716]

1 hour ago, MAJBobby said:

And this is why it is important. In the 90s they would Pay Texas A&M to license the use of the 12th Man.  

 

Now anyone wanting to use Bills Mafia would be subject to needing the same licensing agreement with the Bills.

 

https://www.goodbullhunting.com/telcoag/2014/7/30/5953545/12th-man-trademark-agreement-texas-am-aggies-buffalo-bills

The point is bills Mafia has bills in it which is already trademarked by bills. So 26 couldn't trademark bills Mafia

 

We payed a&m to use 12th man because they already had it trademarked 

 

[Mr. K]

Maybe this supplemental income will some how trickle over to the Sabres development team... Bad look on the Bills end to take a fan creation and trademark it and shut the original creators out

[SlimShady'sSpaceForce]

INTENDS TO SELL 

 

so as Roy indicated. 
 

Are they? 
 

6 minutes ago, RoyBatty is alive said:

 

Yep, read my post 3 back.  The term doesnt bother me at all BUT i think it might irritate/embarrass the organization.  Trademark is one attempt to control its unauthorized spread.  

 

[4_kidd_4]

28 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

How many of you people have briefly met, known or dealt with a real Mafia member?

 

You keel your lips shut. 
 

or else 

 

Oh, I know plenty. In fact, I live next door to some of them. For real.

 

I’m always VERY generous to them with fresh basil from our summer garden.

[Bronxbomber21]

What's crazy is that the Bills organization didn't want anything to do with the Bills Mafia slogan and now they want to take credit for it and get paid....WOW

[NoSaint]

50 minutes ago, SlimShady'sSpaceForce said:

Fans not happy 

 

 

https://sports.yahoo.com/fans-not-happy-team-filed-154142828.html

 

 

Oh well? No big deal. This stuff isn’t abnormal. The saints went through it with “who dat” gear not long ago

 

the bills have a brand to protect and profit from. They are obligated to protect it or lose protections in many cases. honestly I was surprised the bills didn’t do this sooner.