HBO series uses NFL team names, logos without NFL consent "Ballers the new HBO series starring Dwayne “The Rock” Johnson begins with Johnson’s character having flashbacks to his career as a member of the Miami Dolphins" "Later, one of the characters visits the fictional coach of the Miami Dolphins, who is wearing a hat with a Dolphins logo (the old logo, not the current one)." “HBO is always mindful of other intellectual property owners, but in this context there is no legal requirement to obtain their consent,” an HBO spokesperson said in a statement issued to PFT on Sunday afternoon. HBO confirmed that the NFL has no involvement in the series." http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2015/06/07/new-hbo-series-uses-nfl-team-names-logos-without-nfl-consent/
I reckon the NFL will take a wait and see approach. IMO, the big bad NFL will wait to see how the shows are and in what context are the players portrayed before going after them legally @ logos and the like. As mentioned by PFT, they have a preexisting relationship with Hard Knocks and HBO. It'll be interesting to see what they eventually end up doing. If this show is successful, they'll go after them certainly.
I'm quite positive HBO has considered that there could be legal ramifications of using team logos without permission, and their team of lawyers has found that they have legal standing to do so under certain conditions. I have no problem with it. The NFL may but if they can't do anything about it, so be it.
It's interesting because in all of the promos there are no logos on the helmets. They are Dolphins color schemed helmets and jersey's just without the logo on them.
Well, there is this one: Logo could be shopped on there, but I haven't found the "original" if it is...
It'll be a rightful use issue. There are many ways around it. The fact it's a parody helps as there is nothing to tie real players of that team to the series in any way. Lawyers have seen this and have told them to go ahead vis a vis certain restrictions. Believing they were unaware is laughable. The legal team for HBO would be fired if they didn't due their due diligence.
True Story...the NFL regularly calls around Super Bowl time to all of it's local TV affiliates to warn them against the use of any Super Bowl Logos or the use of the word "Super Bowl" without their consent, and that if it is used in conjunction with any non-NFL sponsor, that the NFL will file suit immediately against the EP, AP, Production company, Affiliate and President of that Affiliate.
Not sure what that means, and at this point I'm too afraid to Google it. Sent from my Transformer TF101 using Tapatalk 4
