Trademark judge rules in favor of Arkansas State University in logo dispute

JONESBORO, Ark. (KAIT8) — In a significant legal development, a trademark judge has ruled in favor of Arkansas State University in a copyright infringement case against the Chattanooga Red Wolves over using the Red Wolves name and logo.

The decision was handed down by the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board after the administration at Arkansas State University initiated legal proceedings earlier this year.

The dispute centered around the similarity between the logos.

The ruling emphasized that the Chattanooga Red Wolves’ logo was deemed too like Arkansas State University’s logo. The legal action was prompted by A-State’s administration, which filed a copyright infringement case, asserting its ownership rights over the Red Wolves name and associated branding elements.

The Trademark Trial and Appeal Board’s opinion, mailed in September, served as the basis for the decision in favor of Arkansas State University. The judge highlighted the striking resemblance between the logos, ultimately siding with the claimant.

Arkansas State University had issued a cease-and-desist order to Chattanooga Red Wolves, asserting its exclusive rights to the Red Wolves name and logo. This legal maneuver set the stage for the subsequent trademark dispute, leading to the recent ruling.

Chattanooga Red Wolves responded to the cease-and-desist order by expressing concerns about the potential harm they would sustain if forced to discontinue the use of their current Red Wolves logo.