Penn State wins trademark case over retailers’ use of vintage logos, images
In a closely watched case, a jury awarded the school $28,000 in damages over products made and sold by Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc.
WILLIAMSPORT, Pa. — Penn State has won a closely watched trademark fight over an online retailer’s use of its vintage sports logos and images.
A Pennsylvania jury awarded Penn State $28,000 in damages on Wednesday over products made and sold by Vintage Brand and Sportswear Inc., two firms cofounded by former minor league baseball player Chad Hartvigson.
Penn State accused them of selling “counterfeit” clothing and accessories, while the defendants said their website makes clear they are not affiliated with the university.
At least a dozen other schools have sued the defendants on similar grounds, including Purdue, Stanford, and UCLA, Penn State said in its 2021 lawsuit. However, the Penn State case was the first to go to trial and seen by some as a test case in the sports merchandising industry.
“It addresses an important issue with trademark law — whether or not the mark owner is able to prevent third parties from using its marks on T-shirts and paraphernalia without permission,” said Tiffany Gehrke, a trademark lawyer in Chicago who was not involved in the case.
The verdict, she said, maintains the status quo, while a victory for Vintage Brand “could have shaken things up.” It followed a six-day trial in federal court in Williamsport, Lycoming County, overseen by Chief U.S. District Judge Matthew W. Brann.
It was not immediately clear if the defendants planned to appeal. Phone and email messages left with their lawyers on Thursday were not immediately returned.
Penn State, in a statement, called its trademarks “critical” to the school’s brand, and said it was grateful for the verdict.
“The university appreciates this result as it relates to the many hundreds of licensees with whom the university works and who go through the appropriate processes to use Penn State’s trademarks,” the statement said.
Penn State, founded in 1855, adopted the Nittany Lion as its mascot in 1904 and has been using various images of the animal, along with the school’s seal and other logos, for decades, the lawsuit said. The school now has more than 100,000 students at 24 campuses.