Redskins’ Trademarks are Cancelled

Jun 14, 2014

Reading Time : 1 min
  • What is the meaning of the matter in question, as it appears in the marks and as those marks are used in the connection of goods and services?
  • Is the meaning of the marks one that may disparage Native Americans?”

In establishing disparagement, the Board ruled the first prong of the test met as the term REDSKINS within the registered mark [at the time of registration] did refer to Native Americans. Second, the Board found the term REDSKINS to be disparaging during the relevant time period upon reviewing evidence presented by Petitioners, including linguistic analysis of the word and views of the referenced group. Therefore, a cancellation of the trademarks was appropriate.

Amanda Blackhorse, Marcus Briggs­Cloud, Phillip Gover, Jillian  Pappan and Courtney Tsotigh v. Pro­Football, Inc., Cancellation No. 92046185 (TTAB June 18, 2014) [Kuhlke (opinion), Cataldo and Bergsman]

Share This Insight

Previous Entries

IP Newsflash

June 5, 2026

The Supreme Court unanimously held that for a complaint of induced infringement, a patent owner must allege that the accused infringer took affirmative, not passive, steps to encourage direct infringement. Thus, where a generic drug has a skinny label, to induce infringement of the carved-out patented use of the drug, the generic company must have taken steps that were designed to cause others to perform the patented use, not just steps that could cause such conduct.

...

Read More

IP Newsflash

May 07, 2026

The Northern District of Illinois granted a summary judgment motion of no invalidity based on indefiniteness because the qualitative terms like “sufficiently slow” and “desired period of time” were definite when viewed in light of the surrounding claim language and specification.

...

Read More

IP Newsflash

April 9, 2026

In the April 1, 2026 edition of the Official Gazette, the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office announced a new procedural framework that permits patent owners to submit a limited, early response to a request for ex parte reexamination.

...

Read More

IP Newsflash

March 12, 2026

The Northern District of Illinois recently dismissed a complaint without prejudice for failing to plausibly allege patent infringement. The court found that the allegations of direct infringement were insufficiently pled where the images of the accused product included in the complaint did not appear to show a particular necessary element of the claims.

...

Read More

© 2026 Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP. All rights reserved. Attorney advertising. This document is distributed for informational use only; it does not constitute legal advice and should not be used as such. Prior results do not guarantee a similar outcome. Akin is the practicing name of Akin Gump LLP, a New York limited liability partnership authorized and regulated by the Solicitors Regulation Authority under number 267321. A list of the partners is available for inspection at Eighth Floor, Ten Bishops Square, London E1 6EG. For more information about Akin Gump LLP, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP and other associated entities under which the Akin Gump network operates worldwide, please see our Legal Notices page.