Every year, about this time, businesses areunexpectedly sued for using two seemingly harmless words: “Super Bowl”. Anyadvertising, promotion or announcement that is not sanctioned by the National FootballLeague is subject to swift legal action by the NFL. The NFL owns registered trademarksfor “Super Bowl,” and “Super Bowl Sunday.” And they aggressively monitor andenforce those trademarks. “NFL,” “AFL,” and the names and nicknames of all NFLteams are also registered trademarks, owned by the NFL. In fact, even if the terms are notused, it could be considered a copyright violation if the game is broadcast on a screen largerthan 55 diagonal inches, or requires payment by viewers. For this reason, the SuperBowl is often referred to as “The Big Game.” The NFL’s trademarks have remained strong and consistent over the years. Expect to get burned if you makeany attempt to monetize off their goodwill. If the term “Super Bowl” is used anywhere in advertising, it is strictly the result of high dollar licensing agreements.
NFL Trademark
