Stanford Univ. Sues Allen Stanford For Trademark Infringement

Stanford Univ. Files Suit Against Allen Stanford Over Cricket Tournament Names

Stanford Univ. has filed suit in federal court in S.F. against Stanford Financial Group Chair Allen Stanford, claiming that his int'l cricket tournaments "infringe its trademark copyright," according to Nick Hoult of the London TELEGRAPH. Stanford lends his name to the Stanford Super Series matches in Antigua, the Stanford Quadrangular in the U.K. and the Stanford Twenty20 in the Caribbean, and the suit "could force Stanford to change the name" of the tournaments or "pay substantial damages." The school's claim "centres around the registering of trademarks using the name Stanford without clear reference to his company." The suit alleges that the "use of the Stanford name represents 'intentional and bad faith conduct' and is causing confusion in the market place to its detriment" (London TELEGRAPH, 12/19).

BREAKING POINT? After Stanford Wednesday reaffirmed his commitment to the England & Wales Cricket Board (ECB) following reports that he intended to break his deal with the organization, ECB Chair Giles Clarke Thursday said that the group is "able to terminate their Twenty20 agreement with Sir Allen Stanford at any stage of their five-year deal." Clarke: "It's a contractual arrangement which obviously both parties can conclude any time, the normal thing." In London, Derek Pringle notes with out clauses in his contract with the ECB, it may be that Stanford will "see through to the end" of May's Stanford Quadrangular tournament "before then pulling the plug, one year in." But Clarke said, "That is not the impression I have at all." Clarke noted Stanford two weeks ago had a "long discussion" with ECB BOD member Lord Bill Morris and ECB CEO David Collier, and Stanford "seems extremely committed to the West Indies" (London TELEGRAPH, 12/19).