Via Tireball:
Tim Tebow has been awarded the trademark for “Tebowing” according to a report on Deadspin. Tebow had been in a legal battle with two fans who sought to own the term, which refers to the prayer-like pose that the Jets backup quarterback is known for.
The United States Patent and Trademark Office awarded Tebow a trademark for “Tebowing” on Oct. 9.
“I know it was something that was cool for me in the past, but it’s not something I do as ‘Tebowing,’” Tebow told ESPN New York. “It’s something I do that’s prayer for me and then it got hyped up as Tebowing. So I think (it’s) just to control how it’s used as well. Make sure it’s used in the right way.”
Despite owning rights to the term Tebow reportedly does not plan to use it for profit. Should Tebow ever reconsider, he says the money would go to his charity, the Tim Tebow Foundation.
One of the fans hoping to earn rights to the term owned a website. It is unclear which website it was since both the owner of Tebowing.com and TebowingGear.com both had sought the trademark. Both fans applied for a trademark but were met with a letter of protest from Tebow’s attorney.
According to Deadspin the letter argued that awarding the Tebowing to someone besides the quarterback “is likely to cause some confusion.” The trademark attorney handling the case agreed, denying the two applications because of their “false connection[s] to a living individual.”
After a little court work in which the challenging fans application was declared dead, Tebow’s marketing agency filed a trademark request and it went though.
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Original Story:
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October 19, 2012
