McDonald's sues rugby team for using part of man's name

IowaStatePhiPsi · #1 03-12-2005, 03:22 PM

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmp...donaldsoffbeat

Too bad McBratney didnt start a campaign for a world-wide boycott of McDonald's on St. Patrick's Day.

Quote:

McDonalds takes action against "McBrat"
Thu Mar 10,10:42 PM ET

SYDNEY (AFP) - An Australian rugby enthusiast has vowed to fight legal action from fast food giant McDonald's objecting to his team having the word "McBrat" emblazoned on their uniforms.

Lawyer Malcolm McBratney said he personally sponsored the Brisbane Irish rugby union team, which adopted the "McBrat" tag because they could not fit his full surname on the back of their shorts.

"It was a bit of fun but the next thing McDonald's had launched legal action claiming it was impinging on their brand," McBratney told AFP.

But McBratney, who specialises in intellectual property rights, said the restaurant chain had gone too far and he was determined to stand up for what he saw as his heritage.

"They have a history of doing this all around the world and people fold a lot of the time because they're intimidated by getting legal documents from this huge corporation," he said.

"But this is what I do for a living. I don't think McDonald's have exclusive rights over the use of 'Mc', there's a lot of people with Scottish and Irish heritage who have a much better claim than they do."

McBratney said the rugby club was boycotting McDonald's, once a favourite haunt of the forward pack, and was calling on other Australians to do the same on St Patrick's Day on March 17.

A McDonald's spokeswoman said the company was prepared to allow the use of "McBrat" on the team's shorts but it objected to McBratney registering the term as a trademark.

"We've told him he can use the name on the shorts but we don't want it trademarked because it's not his full name," she said.

CutiePie2000 · #2 03-13-2005, 12:39 AM

Good for him. I hope he wins.

RedRoseSAI · #3 03-13-2005, 03:01 AM

Quote:

Originally posted by IowaStatePhiPsi
"We've told him he can use the name on the shorts but we don't want it trademarked because it's not his full name," she said.

Um, ok...but "McBrat" isn't a part of McDonald's name at all....

My last name has an "L" in it. Can I sue McDonald's for use of the letter "L"?

RUgreek · #4 03-13-2005, 07:19 PM

Quote:

Originally posted by RedRoseSAI
Um, ok...but "McBrat" isn't a part of McDonald's name at all....

My last name has an "L" in it. Can I sue McDonald's for use of the letter "L"?

Funny you bring up the letter "L." There was a similar case where Microsoft sued the linux operating system Lindows because it sounded too similar to Windows. The judge threw out the argument by microsoft claiming they have legal rights to the word windows (see webster's dictionary), but they did manage to force the company to change its name regardless.

They are now known as linspire if anyone was curious...So there goes to show you how ridiculous patents and trademarks can get

RUgreek

Optimist Prime · #5 03-14-2005, 03:06 PM

McDonalds is suing some one? Double-you-tea-ef? Everytime they go to court when they are being sued they win against people they tortued. Seriously, what is next for them, suing half of Scotland?