Is NFL a trademark?

[domainSPOTLIGHT]

I just noticed no one is advertising on google under the search "nfl"

How can 3 initials be tradmarked? why can't I reg a name nflnow.com and have it stand for new found love now.com ??? What if my initials were n.f.l ?

Seems so un-Amercian!

 

[AdoptableDomains]

How can 3 initials be tradmarked?

Yes

why can't I reg a name nflnow.com and have it stand for new found love now.com ???

Technically, you probably can as long your "new found love" has nothing to do with sports or football, or just about anything else NFL hasn't filed a trademark on. They would probaby still try to keep you from using it though, so be prepared with a pack of lawyers.

What if my initials were n.f.l ?

You most certainly could legally use it as a personal website, but even still you may have to fight for it. Do a search on nissan.com for more info on what you might be in for if a huge company with deep pockets want it or thinks you have any intent on effecting their trademark (or not in some cases).

 

[dgridley]

It's all about what's called "trademark dilution".. the more it's used improperly, the more diluted the TM.. obviously the TM holder doesn't want that.

In fact, if you've ever occasion to read an issue of Writer's Digest magazine, you'll see ads from companies asking you to use their trademarks correctly in fiction and non-fiction... i.e., don't use the word "Coke" generically to describe a cola beverage, or "Kleenex" to describe being handed a tissue product.

why can't I reg a name nflnow.com and have it stand for new found love now.com ??? What if my initials were n.f.l ?

Seems so un-Amercian!

 

[Dave_Z]

I just noticed no one is advertising on google under the search "nfl"

How can 3 initials be tradmarked? why can't I reg a name nflnow.com and have it stand for new found love now.com ??? What if my initials were n.f.l ?

Seems so un-Amercian!

Would you allow someone to register a name similar to yours and redirect your
potential visitors to his/her site instead?

And it doesn't have to happen in America alone. It can happen everywhere
else.

 

[domainSPOTLIGHT]

well I was doing some overture searches for a sports betting website I want to make. I noticed 2nd trem nfl exper pick had over 100k searches.

nflexpertpicks.com (empty site) was taken but nflexperpick.com was not, so I reg it and totally forgot about the trademark issue. (I had a problem before with rolexclone.com I ended up letting the name expire)

So now I was wondering if I am better off searching for a new name or using this one. I was going to name it Nick's Famous Lines - Expert Picks, or let it stand for a persons name, so I guess that is not gonna cut it.

I understand the basics of trademark issues, but thought initials are too generic.

Since we are on the subject, if domain names can't include a tradmark name (like nfl) why are there millions of pages with that name in the title/body? Many of them related to gambling which I am sure the NFL wouldnt approve.

So what's the difference between nflexperpicks.com or petesexpertpicks.com with the page tilte "nfl expert picks" ????

 

[geoffe]

Do you ever get the feeling that the entire dictionary will someday be trademarked so we can't speak?