ESPN To Face Charge X Games Logo Violates Clothing Trademark

ESPN To Face Charges Over X Games Trademark

U.S. District Judge Colleen McMahon Friday ruled that ESPN "must face allegations by Quiksilver Inc. that a logo for its international X Games sports competition violates a clothing trademark," according to Erik Larson of BLOOMBERG NEWS. McMahon said that the logo is "'strikingly similar' to the stylized X used by Quiksilver in the Gen X line of clothing." Quiksilver sued ESPN in June "arguing it began using the X on clothing labels in 1994 -- two years before the debut" of the X Games. ESPN had "filed its own trademark allegations against Quiksilver a month earlier, accusing the retailer of copying the X Games logo" (BLOOMBERG NEWS, 11/18).

X & Y: USA TODAY's Sal Ruibal reports beginning with this January's Winter X Games 13, the X Games "will pay equal prize money to male and female athletes, a change that will apply to all X Games-branded events." Freestyle skier Sarah Burke: "It's a huge step. ESPN is the leader in action sports, and I think that (by) announcing equal payouts, everyone else is going to feel the need to keep up to them." X Games Senior Dir of Sports & Competition Tim Reed: "Women have a long X Games history and have progressed to the point where they should be paid equal." Ruibal notes a gold medal at the Winter X Games "will net at least $30,000" (USA TODAY, 11/19).