Vanderbilt Shocks the College Football World (and the Trademarks Behind It)

I’ve been a Vanderbilt football fan since arriving on campus as a freshman in 1994. Over the years, I’ve sat through many beatings at the hands of our SEC rivals, especially the University of Alabama. Until recently, the most memorable “highlight” from these games was Bill Marinangel’s epic fake punt in 1996:

Of course, we would go on to lose the game 36-26 — just another moral victory.

The moral victories continued until Nick Saban took over at Alabama. During his tenure, Bama thrashed the Dores. 55-3 in 2022. 59-0 in 2017. 34-0 in 2011. Ooof.

Bama rolled into Nashville on October 5, fully expecting to deliver another beating. However, the football gods had other ideas, and Vanderbilt shocked the world by winning 40-35.

Oh yeah, this is a blog about trademarks. If you ever attend a Vandy game, you will run into at least nineteen trademarks that are protected by federal trademark registrations:

Mark	Goods/Services
VANDYVILLE Reg: 6938694 Serial: 90705634	035 retail store services featuring apparel; retail store services featuring athletic apparel; retail store services featuring shirts, t-shirts, athletic shirts, long-sleeve shirts, short-sleeve shirts, sport shirts, tops as clothing, jerseys, sweaters, sweatshirts, hooded sweatshirts, headwear, hats and caps; retail store services featuring sports gear; retail store services featuring athletic merchandise; retail store services featuring collegiate apparel, sports gear, athletic merchandise and memorabilia; retail store services featuring college or university licensed apparel, sports gear, athletic merchandise and memorabilia; retail store services featuring apparel, sports gear, athletic merchandise and memorabilia relating to collegiate sports; retail store services featuring apparel, sports gear, athletic merchandise and memorabilia relating to a college or university;
VANDYVILLE Reg: 6945653 Serial: 90705641	041 arranging and conducting social entertainment events; arranging and conducting special events for social entertainment purposes; arranging and conducting special events for social entertainment purposes in conjunction with collegiate athletic and sporting events; arranging and conducting programs featuring recreational activities for children; organizing social entertainment events for entertainment purposes for sports fans; organizing community sporting and cultural events; organizing games; providing facilities for recreational activities; providing facilities for recreational activities for social entertainment purposes; providing facilities for special events for entertainment purposes, namely, facilities for use in playing games, for recreational activities, and for community sports and cultural programs; providing facilities for special events for entertainment purposes, namely, facilities for use in playing games, for recreational activities, and for community sports and cultural programs in conjunction with collegiate athletic and sporting events; educational and entertainment services, namely, providing interactive play areas and social gatherings for children;
V VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY Reg: 5085790 Serial: 86957902	041 educational services, namely, providing instruction and training at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels; educational services, namely, providing instruction at the university level; educational services in the nature of courses at the university level; educating at university or colleges; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate athletic and sporting events; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate sports competitions; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
V Reg: 5085788 Serial: 86957865	041 educational services, namely, providing instruction and training at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels; educational services, namely, providing instruction at the university level; educational services in the nature of courses at the university level; educating at university or colleges; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate athletic and sporting events; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate sports competitions; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
V VANDERBILT COMMODORES Reg: 5085761 Serial: 86956287	041 educational services, namely, providing instruction and training at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels; educational services, namely, providing instruction at the university level; educational services in the nature of courses at the university level; educating at university or colleges; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate athletic and sporting events; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate sports competitions; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
V Reg: 5085760 Serial: 86956270	041 educational services, namely, providing instruction and training at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels; educational services, namely, providing instruction at the university level; educational services in the nature of courses at the university level; educating at university or colleges; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate athletic and sporting events; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate sports competitions; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
V VANDERBILT Reg: 5080950 Serial: 86943705	041 educational services, namely, providing instruction and training at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels; educational services, namely, providing instruction at the university level; educational services in the nature of courses at the university level; educating at university or colleges; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate athletic and sporting events; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate sports competitions; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
V VANDERBILT Reg: 5080948 Serial: 86943685	041 educational services, namely, providing instruction and training at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels; educational services, namely, providing instruction at the university level; educational services in the nature of courses at the university level; educating at university or colleges; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate athletic and sporting events; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate sports competitions; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
VANDERBILT COMMODORES Reg: 5080936 Serial: 86943169	041 educational services, namely, providing instruction and training at the undergraduate, graduate and post-graduate levels; educational services, namely, providing instruction at the university level; educational services in the nature of courses at the university level; educating at university or colleges; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate athletic and sporting events; organizing, arranging, operating, and conducting collegiate sports competitions; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
Reg: 4613432 Serial: 86206573	025 athletic and casual clothing, namely, tops for men and women; shirts; t-shirts; headwear; caps;
Reg: 4613433 Serial: 86206581	041 organizing and conducting sports competitions and events; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics; providing collegiate athletic and sporting events; providing a website featuring non-downloadable multi-media content and video recordings in the fields of collegiate athletics, sports competitions and sporting events; providing non-downloadable multi-media content and video recordings in the fields of collegiate athletics, sports competitions and sporting events, via electronic communications and digital transmission; providing news and information in the fields of collegiate athletics, sports competitions and sporting events; providing news and information in the fields of collegiate athletics, sports competitions and sporting events, via electronic communications and digital transmission;
ANCHOR DOWN Reg: 4331144 Serial: 85698979	041 organizing and conducting college sport competitions and athletic events; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics; providing collegiate athletic and sporting events;
ANCHOR DOWN Reg: 4312861 Serial: 85698976	025 athletic and casual clothing, namely, tops for men and women; shirts; t-shirts;
‘DORES Reg: 3365311 Serial: 77169239	025 headgear, namely, hats, caps; t-shirts; sweat shirts; pants; fleece pullovers;   041 entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
V Reg: 3255409 Serial: 78825460	041 educational services, namely, providing courses of study at the university level; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
VU Reg: 3369251 Serial: 78791024	041 education services in the nature of courses at the university level; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the field of athletics;
VANDERBILT Reg: 2778959 Serial: 76277249	014 jewelry, namely, lapel pins;   016 paper goods and printed matter, namely, decals;   025 clothing, namely, sweatshirts;   041 education services in the nature of courses at the university level; entertainment in the nature of competitions in the fields of athletics; entertainment in the nature of theater productions;
VANDERBILT COMMODORES Reg: 1650171 Serial: 73839181	025 athletic and casual wear, namely, tee-shirts, rugby shirts, tank tops, golf shirts, sweatshirts, sweatpants, tennis shorts, running shorts, socks, jackets, cloth bibs, baseball caps and sweaters;
VANDERBILT UNIVERSITY Reg: 1639680 Serial: 73839682	014 jewelry;   016 bumper stickers; stationery; paper goods, namely, informational brochures; leather goods, namely, memo pad holders, desktop calendars, photo albums and book ends;   021 glassware, namely, glass containers;   025 athletic and casual wear, namely, t-shirts, rugby shirts, tanktops, golf shirts, sweat shirts, sweat pants, sweaters, tennis shorts, running shorts, baseball caps, socks and jackets; cloth bibs;   041 educational and entertainment services, namely, conducting courses at the university level, and organizing and conducting sports competitions and events;

Noticeably absent are any applications or registrations for Vanderbilt’s new “fat V” logo:

Given the lukewarm reception for this logo, this might be a good thing. Most Vandy fans I know would like to see the return of the classic Star V.