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Feds drop lawsuit against baseball team

 

Let's play ball.

The Glacier Range Riders baseball team is no longer a defendant in the federal government's lawsuit over an alleged trademark infringement.

glacier range riders trademark dispute with national park service, montana civil law digest

The federal government has dropped its civil lawsuit against the Glacier Range Riders baseball team over the team's use of a logo that the feds said is too similar to the National Park Service emblem. 

The trademark dispute was with the National Park Service over the team's arrowhead-shaped logo. After years of what the team said was "relentless pressure from the NPS" to abandon the design, the NPS has officially withdrawn its claim, allowing the Range Riders to continue using their logo featuring the letters "RR" within an arrowhead. 

The dispute, which began in October 2022, centered on the NPS's concern that the Range Riders' logo could cause confusion with the agency's arrowhead emblem. Despite the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office (USPTO) dismissing the NPS's initial protest and approving the Range Riders' logo for use, the NPS pursued further opposition. The prolonged administrative battle that ensued imposed substantial financial and operational burdens that are insurmountable for most small, community-driven businesses like the Range Riders. 

"This was an important fight, not only for securing our right to the arrowhead logo, but also ensuring this universal symbol remains open for others to use," said Chris Kelly, President of the Glacier Range Riders. "With the withdrawal of the NPS claim, we're free to focus on what matters most – bringing families together, creating lasting memories, and celebrating the region's rich heritage through the game of baseball." 

The team claimed that the arrowhead shape is a generic design used by many other organizations and does not infringe on the NPS logo. 

The Glacier Range Riders are a Major League Baseball Partner League baseball team located in Kalispell. Established in 2022, the Range Riders compete in the Pioneer Baseball League and will begin their fourth season of play on May 20. 



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