Rumor: Big things happening

[Cardiac Jerks]

I’ve always thought it was kind of weird that they didn’t, especially since other PNC Arena events do use those vendors. But they’re major sticklers for the “no moving around while puck is in play” rule, so I assume that’s why they didn’t want Cotton Candy Guy wandering around down there.

I’m surprised. I guess I just assumed they had vendors going around at all arenas.

I do like that policy, though. I recently went to a game where idiot fans wandering around all game long somewhat spoiled the experience. Some people seem to spend less time in their seats than they do out of them.

 

[Unsustainable]

I demand @DaveG Beer at all home games

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

I demand @DaveG Beer at all home games

I demand @DaveG Beer at home.

 

[Surrounded By Ahos]

I demand @DaveG Beer at all home games

I demand @DaveG Beer at home.

I demand @DaveG brew beer at my home.

 

[MinJaBen]

I demand @DaveG Beer at all home games

I demand @DaveG Beer at home.

I demand @DaveG brew beer at my home.

I demand we turn another hockey thread into a food and drinking thread....oh, never mind. Mission accomplished.

 

[Cardiac Jerks]

I demand @DaveG brew beer at my home.

I demand @DaveG grow hops and barley at my home.

 

[My Special Purpose]

This thread is making me like Bill Peters again. Not sure that's forgivable. It also makes me even more upset at RF for not making a deal yet. It seems like Peters and Dundon are in lockstep, and I can't imagine RF being quite there yet. I honestly don't think the Dundon/Francis marriage will last long. Just two massively different ways of approaching issues.

As for the Whaler thing, as a longtime fan and a guy who moved from CT to NC *before* the Whalers moved (i.e. the Whale followed me, so I didn't "lose" them in the sense that CT residents did, I "regained" them through sheer luck), I have always imagined ways to integrate the past with the present and offend as few folks as possible. Karmanos wasn't responsible for the Whale moving, but even so, with him gone, it seems more likely.

I've concluded that I'm not sure an entire game in the Whalers duds would work. It's too much. But I've thought about maybe warmups, wearing the jersey and playing Brass Bonanza. I respect the idea about a Whaler logo on the Canes red sweater, but I think that's too much, as well. I don't think we can "embrace" the Whalers's past, but I think we can "acknowledge" it. A good start would be bringing down the retired numbers from the NHL Whalers (but since Rick Ley's No. 2 is one of them, I don't see that happening).

Regarding the team not wanting to play in Finland next season, I get it. But I still think my solution (to send all teams overseas in multi-city mini-tournaments to open the season) would work beautifully, but I have no idea how to turn it into an actual plan and who to give it to. Any ideas? Hank was pretty excited about this when I first mentioned it about two years ago.

 

[cptjeff]

I’ve always thought it was kind of weird that they didn’t, especially since other PNC Arena events do use those vendors. But they’re major sticklers for the “no moving around while puck is in play” rule, so I assume that’s why they didn’t want Cotton Candy Guy wandering around down there.

Personally, I hate roving vendors and have always been glad that they weren't at Hurricanes games. Get your ass out of the way and shut up- no, I don't want Coors f***ing Light and I want to watch the damn game.

 

[tarheelhockey]

A good start would be bringing down the retired numbers from the NHL Whalers (but since Rick Ley's No. 2 is one of them, I don't see that happening).

Maybe I'm not following, but wouldn't this make it that much easier? #2 is already retired, all you have to do is stick another banner up there.

Also #9 is unofficially retired, all you have to do is formalize it with a banner (though a Gordie Howe banner at PNC would look incredibly silly). The only one which would need to be actually taken out of circulation would be John McKenzie's #19, which is a pretty easy one to sacrifice.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

This thread is making me like Bill Peters again. Not sure that's forgivable. It also makes me even more upset at RF for not making a deal yet. It seems like Peters and Dundon are in lockstep, and I can't imagine RF being quite there yet. I honestly don't think the Dundon/Francis marriage will last long. Just two massively different ways of approaching issues.

Um, no.

Right now, Tom Dundon is plucking the low hanging fruit that only a really rich guy can pluck. "Hey, let's give everyone lower bowl seats!" is *utterly trivial* compared to "hey, let's go make a quick deal to make ourselves better in the middle of the season, when everyone else is trying to make the playoffs."

Now, maybe Ronnie had a plan for "how to spend $10m in 30 seconds" in his back pocket and maybe he didn't, but either way, the right deal has to *actually be there* and we have no idea if it is or isn't.

 

[HisIceness]

Damn that's something new (upgrading upper-level fans seats). Did it a few times with the Checkers but you'd expect a minor-league team to do something like that.

This Dundon guy sure isn't f***ing around when he said that the fan-experience improvements start "now" in his letter to the fans. I like that. Lets be honest, this game wasn't going to be a sell-out to begin with. This is the kind of thing that some may not like (100 level STH's for example), but for a game like this it's worth a try at least.

 

[HisIceness]

And I'm one of them. Not just no but hell to the no.

I'm going to agree with you on this. I think it is for the best that this team not associate itself in any way with the Whalers. It's a nice thought in theory but in reality it's likely to piss more people off than not. Better to just let that ship sail.

I for one would rather see this team market itself more towards Charlotte, Greensboro, Columbia, Greenville/Spartanburg, Charleston etc. I think in time we will see that, and to me that will be way more of a hit than pissing off already pissed off Hartford fans.

 

[the halleJOKEL]

this organization has been nice for too loing

it's time to get MEAN

 

[Navin R Slavin]

I'm going to agree with you on this. I think it is for the best that this team not associate itself in any way with the Whalers. It's a nice thought in theory but in reality it's likely to piss more people off than not. Better to just let that ship sail.

I for one would rather see this team market itself more towards Charlotte, Greensboro, Columbia, Greenville/Spartanburg, Charleston etc. I think in time we will see that, and to me that will be way more of a hit than pissing off already pissed off Hartford fans.

Again: it's not an either/or proposition.

 

[Svechhammer]

So... If we start selling Whale apparel in the Eye does that mean the team is effectively reclaiming the trademarks? Right now, we don't own them and I don't believe we get any revenues from the sales and massive popularity up north (they just released Whaler license plates in CT with the associated annual fees)

If we start getting the merchandizing revenue off the Whale brand, the schadenfreude over that realization throughout that segment would be absolutely glorious.

 

[Navin R Slavin]

So... If we start selling Whale apparel in the Eye does that mean the team is effectively reclaiming the trademarks? Right now, we don't own them and I don't believe we get any revenues from the sales and massive popularity up north (they just released Whaler license plates in CT with the associated annual fees)

If we start getting the merchandizing revenue off the Whale brand, the schadenfreude over that realization throughout that segment would be absolutely glorious.

Well, the trademark is apparently lapsed, which is why there's a bunch of knockoff gear: there's no one to enforce the mark. Theoretically, the Canes could start cranking out Whalers gear tomorrow. The question is, will Dundon try / be able to reclaim the actual marks so that the Canes have exclusivity, and would anyone else be able to lay claim?

 

[Navin R Slavin]

No, wait, that's wrong. The Canes own the marks, evidently?

Clarification on Hartford Whalers Trademark

 

[Navin R Slavin]

LOL YAY TRADEMARK SEARCHES

So there are a bunch of marks in question.

Here's the HW mark -- the logo:
Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)

It is conclusively owned by the Canes:

(REGISTRANT) New England Whalers Hockey Club LIMITED PARTNERSHIP CONNECTICUT One Civic Center Plz. Hartford CONNECTICUT 06103 (LAST LISTED OWNER) HURRICANES HOCKEY, LP KT Sports Entertainment, Inc., a Delaware corporation LIMITED PARTNERSHIP BY MERGER DELAWARE 1400 ESWARDS MILL RD RALEIGH NORTH CAROLINA 27607

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Renewal	2ND RENEWAL 20110921
Live/Dead Indicator	LIVE

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Navin R Slavin]

The use of the "Hartford Whalers" wordmark is apparently owned by someone else, though:

Trademark Electronic Search System (TESS)

Word Mark	HARTFORD WHALERS
Goods and Services	IC 025. US 022 039. G & S: Athletic apparel, namely, shirts, pants, jackets, footwear, hats and caps, athletic uniforms; Hooded sweatshirts; T-shirts; Baseball caps and hats. FIRST USE: 20051011. FIRST USE IN COMMERCE: 20051011
Standard Characters Claimed
Mark Drawing Code	(4) STANDARD CHARACTER MARK
Serial Number	86931556
Filing Date	March 7, 2016
Current Basis	1A
Original Filing Basis	1A
Published for Opposition	September 5, 2017
Owner	(APPLICANT) JAY KENNETTE MEDIA GROUP LLC LIMITED LIABILITY COMPANY DELAWARE 16192 COASTAL HIGHWAY JKMG LLC LEWES DELAWARE 19958
Assignment Recorded	ASSIGNMENT RECORDED
Attorney of Record	Matthew M. Googe
Type of Mark	TRADEMARK
Register	PRINCIPAL
Live/Dead Indicator	LIVE

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[Navin R Slavin]

So that means the Canes own the logo, but not the word mark. My guess is that Dundon is either looking to license the word mark from Jay Kennette Media Group LLC, or he's looking to buy it from them outright. Either way, the Canes own the logo, which is arguably the more valuable of the properties to own.

 

[Boom Boom Apathy]

This thread is making me like Bill Peters again. Not sure that's forgivable. It also makes me even more upset at RF for not making a deal yet. It seems like Peters and Dundon are in lockstep, and I can't imagine RF being quite there yet. I honestly don't think the Dundon/Francis marriage will last long. Just two massively different ways of approaching issues.

What do you think about Peter's comment saying that he's coached Duchene enough to know where he belongs (the wing?)

 

[Navin R Slavin]

OHHHHHH SHIT

Looky here, boys, we got ourselves a OPEN LAWSUIT!

*pops beer open*

USPTO TTABVUE. Trademark Trial and Appeal Board Inquiry System

Opposition

Number:	91238639	Filing Date:	12/28/2017
Status:	Pending	Status Date:	12/28/2017
General Contact Number:	571-272-8500
Interlocutory Attorney:	GEOFFREY MCNUTT
Paralegal Name:	ROCHELLE L ADAMS

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Defendant
Name:	JAY KENNETTE MEDIA GROUP LLC
Correspondence:	Matthew M. Googe Robinson IP Law, PLLC 9724 Kingston Pike, Suite 1403 Knoxville, TN 37922 [email protected], [email protected]
Serial #:	86931556	Application File	Assignment
Application Status:	Opposition Pending
Mark:	HARTFORD WHALERS

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Plaintiff
Name:	Hurricanes Hockey Limited Partnership, National Hockey League
Correspondence:	David H. Bernstein, Esq. Debevoise & Plimpton LLP 919 Third Avenue New York, NY 10022 UNITED STATES [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected], [email protected] Phone: 212-909-6696
Serial #:	73237792	Application File	Assignment	Registration #:	1161394
Application Status:	Renewed
Mark:	WH

[TBODY] [/TBODY]

Prosecution History
#	Date	History Text	Due Date
3	12/28/2017	PENDING, INSTITUTED
2	12/28/2017	NOTICE AND TRIAL DATES SENT; ANSWER DUE:	02/06/2018
1	12/28/2017	FILED AND FEE

[TBODY] [/TBODY]
[TBODY] [/TBODY]

 

[BrindAmours Army]

No, wait, that's wrong. The Canes own the marks, evidently?

Clarification on Hartford Whalers Trademark

We own the trademark for the whale tail. Though the fact that there is a lot of knockoff products could be used to weaken the team's rights. They are protecting the Whalers trademarks to some extent though!

 

[Navin R Slavin]

So basically, it's dueling marks. The Club asserting that because they have the right to the WH, they should also have the right to the lapsed word mark -- and evidently it got to the point where the Canes dropped the gloves.

Also of note: the ruling is due in less than a week.

Something tells me the defense is fixing to get rolled up -- because the Whale Tail is the actual *service mark* that has precedence over basically all the other marks.

 

[AeroFishOne]

Regarding the seat service i always though it would be cool if they had an app that i could get on that connected to the vending stations in the arena. i could order everything i want in the app. Put in my section, seat number, and row. Process the payment using apple pay, android pay, stripe, paypal. Once payment is accepted the orders show up on a screen in the concessions and workers fill orders and they have runners bring things to those seats. Alleviates people walking up an down all the stairs constantly, which i personally hate.

EDIT: If anyone who works for canes/PNC reads this hire me and i will build it for you.

This is brilliant and would be excellent. I hate the people up and down the stairs especially when you got to wait for the person who doesn’t have their crap ready.