PROTECTION OF IP FOR ATHLETES AND CELEBRITIES · Troutman Sanders LLP [email protected] PANELISTS Steve Gaffigan Stephen M. Gaffigan PA stephen@smgpa David M. Lilenfeld

2010 Entertainment, Sports and Intellectual Property Law Conference

PROTECTION OF IP FOR ATHLETES AND CELEBRITIES:

REGISTRATION, COUNTERFEITING, INJUNCTIONS AND DIVORCE

MODERATOR

Mike Hobbs Troutman Sanders LLP

[email protected]

PANELISTS Steve Gaffigan

Stephen M. Gaffigan PA stephen@smgpa

David M. Lilenfeld

Lilenfeld PC [email protected]

Pamela Tremayne

Law Offices of Pamela L. Tremayne [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

michael.hobbs@troutmansanders.

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Athletes and Celebrities


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How Do You Protect Celebrities and Athletes?


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Protecting Celebrities and Athletes

• Registration and Planning

• Injunctions and Litigation

• Divorce

• Huge Meathead

Bodyguards

http://www.evilbeetgossip.com/?attachment_id=4543


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Planning and Registration

• Trademarks

• Copyrights

• Ownership Issues

• Domain Names


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Trademarks for Athletes/Celebrities

• Issues:

• Marks

• Products/Services

• Ownership


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Examples:

• Greg Norman (39 Trademark Records)

SHARK.COM


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Greg Norman


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Other Big Filers

• Jack Nicklaus

114 Records

• Arnold Palmer

110 Records

• Tiger Woods

30 Records

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://lightwater.files.wordpress.com/2007/07/jack-nicklaus-1986.jpg&imgrefurl=http://lightwater.wordpress.com/2007/07/23/wear-a-baseball-cap-and-you-diss-me/&h=480&w=343&sz=45&hl=en&start=1&um=1&usg=__mH6-HRPvj2HnNb8cfgfQLpZZIX8=&tbnid=w_xlLMdXtoHWBM:&tbnh=129&tbnw=92&prev=/images%3Fq%3Djack%2Bnicklaus%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.popularpersons.org/arnold-palmer/arnold-palmer1.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.popularpersons.org/pic.php%3Fn%3Darnold-palmer/%26b%3DArnold-Palmer/&h=400&w=400&sz=28&hl=en&start=7&um=1&usg=__k50XFZOwiVFTsmqWWe686xuWqZg=&tbnid=xTTes3HAHN93mM:&tbnh=124&tbnw=124&prev=/images%3Fq%3Darnold%2Bpalmer%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://stopmikelupica.com/images/TigerWoodsSmile.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.stopmikelupica.com/2007/06/the_daily_news_on_tiger_woods.php&h=349&w=382&sz=19&hl=en&start=8&um=1&usg=__J6xzSU86umyg_xtjy5DgRKeS92A=&tbnid=6mQl5p6bnzDPKM:&tbnh=112&tbnw=123&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dtiger%2BWoods%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG


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Not Big Filers

• Shaun White

No Records for Name

• Madonna

2 Records

• Michael Phelps

Tm Application for “Michael Phelps”

owned by Wen Yi Woo

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.yoga-ez.com/image-files/madonna2.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ticketnews.com/Madonna-Live-Nation-Signing-New%2BDeal0101107&h=344&w=500&sz=13&hl=en&start=11&um=1&usg=__vdPJHyW-q1DIiRC1kp3v52cdgkQ=&tbnid=yJLowny834KCbM:&tbnh=89&tbnw=130&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmadonna%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://imagecache2.allposters.com/images/pic/RSPOD/RS995~Shaun-White-Rolling-Stone-no-995-March-2006-Posters.jpg&imgrefurl=http://profile.myspace.com/index.cfm%3Ffuseaction%3Duser.viewprofile%26friendid%3D112705584&h=420&w=350&sz=66&hl=en&start=4&um=1&usg=__mAPmbjMqKic6rIBz_X7GgDFu3mM=&tbnid=rfYtvbSx95jCYM:&tbnh=125&tbnw=104&prev=/images%3Fq%3DShaun%2BWhite%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.topnews.in/sports/files/Michael-Phelps.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.topnews.in/sports/teams/beijing-olympics%3Fpage%3D11&h=422&w=298&sz=20&hl=en&start=8&um=1&usg=__i8Y-SRLvllH1eLnCG80jWXIsfHI=&tbnid=pWWYW54MjGsuWM:&tbnh=126&tbnw=89&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmichael%2Bphelps%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG


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Products/Services: Beware Medinol !

• David Beckham

Acne Treatments?

• Michael Kors

Babushkas?

Galoshes?

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.besportier.com/archives/david-beckham-la-galaxy-jersey.jpg&imgrefurl=http://stractical.wordpress.com/&h=519&w=479&sz=34&hl=en&start=19&usg=__rV8CAkm62_fGUwE2Z2uS158co54=&tbnid=bya-08xJGXQFyM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Ddavid%2Bbeckham%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DG

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://beanstockd.files.wordpress.com/2007/11/proj-runway.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.beanstockd.com/project/green-lifestyle&h=275&w=360&sz=36&hl=en&start=4&usg=__k0UbwZ1taASA0KJUGWcdyH_gqPU=&tbnid=XpLgRd0YdOgWJM:&tbnh=92&tbnw=121&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmichael%2Bkors%2Bproject%2Brunway%26gbv%3D2%26hl%3Den


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Ownership

Steve & Barry's Chief Partnership Officer Howard Schacter: "This is really for the weekend golfers. Guys at their municipal

course wearing a T-shirt, shorts, hopefully golf shoes, but maybe even sneakers."


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Copyright

• Protects original works of authorship

• Can protect images of celebrity

• Authorship and ownership issues

• Doesn’t protect all images

• DMCA weapon

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.catwalkqueen.tv/Marilyn%2520Monroe%2520iconic.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.catwalkqueen.tv/2007/06/marilyn_monroes.html&h=377&w=225&sz=65&hl=en&start=38&um=1&usg=__m6RsQdLASAy6qyLPU-l9BfOMDEU=&tbnid=QV1CXHr7wj26xM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=73&prev=/images%3Fq%3Diconic%2Bimages%26start%3D20%26ndsp%3D20%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DN

http://images.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://i.ehow.com/images/GlobalPhoto/Articles/2047458/michaeljordandunking_Full.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.ehow.com/how_2047458_dunk-like-michael-jordan.html&h=540&w=600&sz=114&hl=en&start=4&um=1&usg=__WDtIUH4oAtjRq-cPlJIFFC6cBMo=&tbnid=eajOdkqR9hgKVM:&tbnh=122&tbnw=135&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dmichael%2Bjordan%2Bdunk%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26sa%3DX


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Rights of Publicity

• Right to control image

• Recognized by 28 states—no federal right

• No registration requirement

• Divisible

• Exception for newsworthyness


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Domain Names

– Cybersquatters

– Fan sites


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Domain Names And Cybersquatters • In 2007, WIPO reports that cybersquatting has exploded: • Up 48% from 2005 • 2,156 formal complaints lodged • "While electronic commerce has flourished with the expansion of the

internet, recent developments in the domain-name registration system have fostered practices which threaten the interests of trademark owners and cause consumer confusion. Practices such as ‘domain name tasting' risk turning the domain name system into a mostly speculative market."


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Domain Names And Cybersquatters


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Kimmiemeissner.com


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Infringements and Injunctions

Example No. 1

Your client sends you a text in the middle of the night “hav u seen wats on ebay??? need to talk ASAP!!!”


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Example No. 2


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Example No. 3


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Protecting Intellectual Property in Athlete Divorces

• Tiger Woods • Greg Norman

http://www.inrumor.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/tiger_woods_elin_nordegren_rumors.jpe

http://www.gambling911.com/files/publisher/Tiger-Woods-Divorce-120209L.jpg?0

http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://blog.kir.com/archives/images/Greg%2520and%2520Laura%2520Norman.jpg&imgrefurl=http://blog.kir.com/archives/2007/08/duck_hook.asp&usg=__OsMWfMju2wXHwYYrLZY8Xf8DZ3E=&h=521&w=360&sz=164&hl=en&start=1&sig2=5bYKLu5-5TQkk2lBi2Kp7g&zoom=1&tbnid=tDr9kiAyPABUmM:&tbnh=131&tbnw=91&ei=oCvQTJHREYScnweLutWPBg&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dgreg%2Bnorman%2Bdivorce%26um%3D1%26hl%3Den%26rlz%3D1G1GGLQ_ENUS333%26tbs%3Disch:1&um=1&itbs=1


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Protecting Intellectual Property in Athlete Divorces

• What preventative steps can an attorney take to plan for a client in the event of a divorce?

• What steps and actions can an attorney take once divorce proceedings have commenced?

MODERATOR

Mike Hobbs Troutman Sanders LLP

[email protected]

PANELISTS Steve Gaffigan

Stephen M. Gaffigan PA stephen@smgpa

David M. Lilenfeld

Lilenfeld PC [email protected]

Pamela Tremayne

Law Offices of Pamela L. Tremayne [email protected]

mailto:[email protected]

Documents

PROTECTION OF IP FOR ATHLETES AND CELEBRITIES · Troutman Sanders LLP [email protected] PANELISTS Steve Gaffigan Stephen M. Gaffigan PA stephen@smgpa David M. Lilenfeld