Behind the Steel Curtain: An SB Nation Community

Navigation: Jump to content areas:


Sports blogs for fans, by fans.
New Blog: The Boxing Bulletin for Boxing Fans!

Just Another Reason The Steelers Have A Leg Up On the Bengals

Not only do the Steelers dust the Cincinnati Bengals on the field of competition, they also lap them in terms of treating their fans well. StripeHype, a Bengals fan site, has been sued by Mr. Paul Brown, the Bengals owner, for copy-right infringment. Brown's claim is the site uses the team's logo and photos without permission. Now, I can't say I read this site, so I have no clue the extent to which they may or may not use the team's copy-righted materials, but my primary hunch is that this is something that didn't need such drastic aciton. When I (accdidentally and incorrectly) used some notes of Mr. Jim Wexell's a few weeks ago, he politely asked me to be more careful in the future. When I first started out blogging about my favorite team, I was a touch haphazard with a paysite's training camp notes. I was issued a warning. Not a law-suit. And the organization itself has never contacted me even though we're often times using photos from the team's website (while providing the necessary photo credits of course.

Anyway, here's a few tidbits from the site moderator about the incident:

Well, as of today, I quit blogging anything positive on behalf of the Cincinnati Clowns....I have been accused of copyright infringement for using their trademarked name. So be warned Cincy fans (of which I am no longer), you better refer to your hometown NFL team as “those guys on the river that play football” or Mikey’s boys will come after you looking for more money. Doesn’t it seem like he’s gouged us all enough? Is Mike Brown related to Simon Leis somehow? Seems like the jack-booted Gestapo tactics that the Unpopular Hamilton County Sheriff uses has infiltrated the Bengals PR and Legal departments.

 

Looks like the players aren’t the only ones associated with the Bengals in legal trouble. I’m not even associated with them, and I’m in trouble. Hmmm..maybe a symptom of the organization after all??
GO BROWNS!!

 

Look, I'm all for protecting one's intellectual property. If this guy is in fact repeatedly absuing that code of ethics, then he deserves to be reprimanded. This is why I urge all of us (repeatedly) to cite appropriately when using other's ideas. It matters and it will come back to bite us in the long-run if we're not careful.

That said, this is just another example of how the Bengals organization, from top to bottom, from ownership, to players, to the fans, just don't -quite- get it right.

All Hail Mr. Rooney, the Pittsburgh Steelers PR Department, and the best, most ubiquitous, and most loyal and informed fan-base in the NFL!

0 recs  |  Comment 8 comments

Story-email Email Printer Print

Comments

Display:

They know how

to drive away their fans! The past 15 years of football should have been enough punishment for any Bengals fan, and now this?

by WolfpackSteelersFan on May 7, 2008 12:08 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

The Bengals figured

That if they’re not going to tick of their fans on the field, might as well be cyberspace. We have many mediums to be attacked from. (sigh)
Yea, in one respect, they’re right. On the other hand, who the hell cares? The Bengals get free promotions all the time, so allowing the fans in the world that actually cheer this dreadful team to have a bit of freedom would have been, you know, a little more fan friendly.

Blogger at CincyJungle.com

by Kirkendall on May 7, 2008 4:02 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

yea good points

I mean, they did rip off their logos all over the site. As was said to our network of bloggers, this is why we paid designers to make our own logos. But I did think the team’s reaction was a bit over the top.

by Blitzburgh on May 7, 2008 4:10 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

never realized that

I never realized that’s why the logo wasn’t on the front page at all. How far does that extend (ie is my avatar going to get me in trouble one day?)

by cgolden on May 7, 2008 5:06 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

doubtful

Though to be safe, it might be wise to change it.

by Blitzburgh on May 7, 2008 5:19 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

What a jackass.

I can’t argue with people trying to protect their intellectual property, but this is absurd. If you just take the down the pictures and whatnot, what’s left is essentially a large group of obsessed people talking about their organization; these blogs are better than free advertising. It’s a freaking marketer’s wet dream. Why would the Bengals go out of their way to shut ‘em down when a good old cease-and-desist letter would suffice?

by HinesField on May 7, 2008 12:12 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

exactly

It’s makes no sense to alienate passionate fans. Hard to imagine that thought process that leads to filing a lawsuit against a blog for the use of their name and logo.

by cgolden on May 7, 2008 12:47 PM EDT up reply actions   0 recs

Thank goodness

for the Rooneys, some of the best owners in sports.

by tkired on May 7, 2008 5:17 PM EDT reply actions   0 recs

Comments For This Post Are Closed


User Tools

Welcome to BTSC, a blog dedicated to the SIX-time world champion Steelers.

"Thoughtful discussion with a sense of history."

Art Rooney Jr.

"Level-headed thinking." Pittsburgh Post-Gazette

Start posting about the Steelers »

Join SB Nation and dive into communities focused on all your favorite teams.

FanPosts

Community blog posts and discussion.

Recommended FanPosts

Small
What players have you most wished could have been Steelers?
2196876391_dcb0380cb0_small
Okay. We need some fun!
Me_small
The BTSC Predict the Score Competition, Wk 11 @ KC Chiefs
J_page_small
Talk Chiefs with AP
Miketomlin-200_small
A look to 2005 and back to the present

Recent FanPosts

Ward_small
"That's just bad football" - The Jamaal Charles KO Return
2940734199_1654fd3f61_small
Charlie Batch out for six weeks
Carl_20weathers_small
The Lawrence Timmons Situation
Steely-mcbeam_small
it's the coaching
Minuteman_small
I just can't help it
Small
Deshea Townsend
20090928033736804550000-gyi_small
Need Info on Kemo...
3_small
steelers exposed..coaching pathetic!!!
Small
The toss play to Mewelde on 3rd and 2?
2zyzny9_small
The Best Football

+ New FanPost All FanPosts >

Latest NFL Headlines from SB Nation

SPONSORS


Site Founder & Editor

Mbean_small Blitzburgh

Steelers Historian

Steeler_small maryrose

Bringing You Your Daily Six Pack

Plainview_small drinkyourmilkshake