By Cadie Carroll
The University of Alabama Board of Trustees is pulling out all the stops in a final attempt to keep Houndstooth Mafia, LLC’s merchandise out of stores.
Along with Paul W. Bryant Jr., son of legendary Alabama football coach Paul “Bear” Bryant, the Board has filed a federal trademark infringement and unfair competition claim against the company, stating their use of the houndstooth pattern infringes upon the university’s merchandise.
If there’s one thing Coach Bryant is known for besides his tenure as one of college football’s most successful coaches, it would be his signature houndstooth fedora.
But just because the iconic black and white hat is identified with Coach Bryant, who led the Crimson Tide to six National Championships and 13 conference titles, doesn’t entitle his estate—or the university—the rights to it.
The was the conclusion reached by a U.S. Patent and Trademark Office’s Trademark Trial and Appeal Board in 2007, when it allowed Houndstooth Mafia’s trademark registration process to move forward for merchandise such as hats and shirts.
“Houndstooth is a known fabric pattern available to the general public,” the ruling stated. “There is no evidence that the hats worn by Coach Bryant were one-of-a-kind, custom-designed, or anything other than commercially-available men’s fedora hats.”
Bryant Jr. and the Board of Trustees are looking to overturn that decision and block a separate trademark application made by Houndstooth Mafia in July allowing the company to use its logo on items like bumper stickers and magnets. It also argues the term mafia is offensive.
