A conflict has stirred in Tennessee, where a middle school is in a trademark dispute with a university over a mascot that shares a name. Cheatham Middle School in Cheatham County, Tennessee, has been told to cease and desist from using the 'Bearcats' mascot and logo, a moniker and symbol that have come to define their school spirit but are also trademarked by the University of Cincinnati. This development follows after the University sent a cease-and-desist letter, claiming infringement of their intellectual property rights.
The school's dilemma came to light after leaders of Cheatham Middle School posted on their social media accounts about receiving the letter from the university. They disclosed that besides the logo, the term 'Bearcats' itself cannot continue to be used, as the University reportedly holds a copyright on the word. These actions have pushed the middle school to rebrand, a step that school leaders have admitted to being unavoidable at this juncture. UC's actions were based on its commitment to protect and preserve trademark rights, as stated in its communication by WLWT and other local news outlets.
In an official statement obtained by Local12 News, a spokesperson for UC explained, "Just as many other universities and recognizable brands make significant investments to protect their own marks, we reserve the right for exclusive use of the UC marks." The statement also noted that the middle school had not sought permission before adopting the mascot and logo that resemble UC's branding. This information came to light through a post on the school district's official athletic department Facebook page.
While Cheatham Middle School faces the task of rebranding, Musketeer Gear, a venture related to UC's rival Xavier University, has offered an olive branch. They are now selling "Cheatham Musketeers" shirts, with all proceeds pledged to the middle school. On top of that, a Cincinnati marketing firm owned by a Xavier alum has offered to develop a new design and logo for the middle school pro bono, should they opt to rename themselves the Musketeers. We look "forward to Cheatham rallying around their new mascot with more energy and excitement than ever before," Anthony Breen, owner of Synergistic, told WCPO.
