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NCAA to go after
online gambling companies
A cease and desist
order has been sent to one of the top gaming
affiliate companies ordering them to stop using the
term "March Madness" in its ads and on the company
web site. The
cease and desist order states, among other things:
Your company's
current promotion for a "March Madness Affiliate
Cash Bonus" utilizes the trademark "March Madness".
It also states:
Your use of the
mark injures MMAA's goodwill and is misleading
because consumers are likely to believe that a
marketing relationship exists between your company
and the NCAA.....Additionally, your unauthorized use
of "March Madness" unlawfully exploits the goodwill
associated with one of the NCAA's most popular
championships for your company's commercial
advantage.
The online gambling
firm in question has since removed the "March
Madness" reference from its advertising and web site
but this move by the NCAA sets an unusual precedence
in that they will likely have to go after all
online sports betting companies, a few hundred in
total. In the
letter, the NCAA aludes to a case March Madness
Athletic Association vs. NetFire Inc. and Sports
Marketing.
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Gambling911.com News
Wire
Originally published March 1, 2006 11:52 am ET |
