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Could that be a contributing factor in SVCCs decision to move to August instead of the same weekend as Wondercon?
Kinda interesting to say the least. I mean, "con" is short for "convention", so what's the difference by calling it "comic con" vs. "comic convention". But hey, great win for the CCI folks.
As much as I love CCI, I've seen such a negative response across the national con community in response to these trademark lawsuits. I don't think there's anyone outside of SDCC attendees that see it favorably, outside of legally in their right, and I understand why it would look elitist and attract jabs toward SDCC's Hollywood shift. Other cons renaming themselves to avoid trouble has only attracted attention to 'why', I know the fandom around Phoenix Comicon was pretty vocal about how they felt.
Judge Issues "Comic-Con" InjunctionYou are not allowed to view links. Register or Login
A 4 million judge-issued injunction for a verdict of $20,000.If it wasn't clear before that this judge had his own agenda...it's definitely obvious now.
Popular Salt Lake comic convention fears it will be ‘destroyed' and Utah’s economy affected over court-ordered payment of $4 million in trademark battle By Taylor StevensThe producers of a wildly popular comic convention in Salt Lake City say a $4 million court judgment in a trademark infringement battle will equate to a “death sentence” for the company — and they warn that Utah’s economy could be negatively affected by a bankruptcy.Dan Farr Productions, the company behind the FanX Salt Lake Comic Convention, filed an emergency motion with the U.S. 9th Circuit Court of Appeals on Wednesday, asking for a temporary postponement on the payment pending appeal in court.If the $4 million judgment is enforced, the company will be “destroyed,” the motion states, costing Utah’s economy “millions of dollars.” But the court “likely wouldn’t harm” the other party — San Diego Comic-Con, by granting a stay.The California-based convention sued the event formerly known as Salt Lake Comic Con in 2014 about the use of “comic con” in the Utah company’s name. San Diego Comic-Con’s legal team argued that even without the hyphen, those words infringed on its own trademark and confused people into thinking the events were associated.A federal jury sided with San Diego Comic-Con at the end of last year but found there had been no willful infringement and awarded FanX a slight break on attorney fees. The jury awarded $20,000 in damages to San Diego Comic-Con, which had originally sought $12 million, and $3.9 million in attorney fees and costs rather than the $5 million its lawyers had initially asked for.Still, the Utah-based company said in its motion Wednesday that the “nearly $4 million award is wildly excessive.”The producers of FanX are also protesting a judgment that FanX stop using the phrase “formerly known as Salt Lake Comic Con” in advertising and social media and delete any posts before the court ruling that refer to their event as “comic con.”Utah Attorney General Sean Reyes filed a declaration in support of the company’s emergency motion on Wednesday, writing that the conventions have a “positive impact” on Utah’s economy.“The Conventions continue to be an important part of the cultural and economic fabric of Utah and ending them would have a negative impact on the public of the state,” he wrote.Salt Lake County Mayor Ben McAdams also weighed in, noting the large turnout at the most recent FanX event — approximately 110,000 attendees, with nearly 25 percent from out of state.“This activity and the influx of visitors benefits our economy and raises tax revenue, including through the purchase of hotel rooms, restaurant meals, alcohol, gasoline, taxies and other types of transportation, and goods purchased from vendors at the Conventions,” he wrote.The court has yet to issue a decision on the motion.
IMO, the entity formerly known as SLCC has got some nerve. Just because that $4 million will 'hurt' them is no reason to not to have cough it up....that is the point. It has to hurt. That $4 million could be used for the Comic Con museum, scholarships or some other worthy related things. Yes, I know this whole dance is part of the legal system, yet... I can 'hear' the judge saying this- to paraphrase something Capt Kirk once said - "I grow annoyed at your foolishness".
FanX organizers get relief from 9th Circuit Court Posted 4:32 pm, October 16, 2018, by Ben Winslow, Updated at 07:35PM, October 16, 2018 A federal appeals court has halted a judge’s order that organizers of FanX must pay a $4 million judgment and cease using the words “comic con.”In a decision handed down on Tuesday afternoon, a panel of the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals agreed to block enforcement against Dan Farr Productions while an appeal went forward. A spokeswoman for the event said it was an 18-month extension, allowing them to hold several more events in the meantime.Dan Farr Productions, which staged the event formerly known as Salt Lake Comic Con, was sued by organizers of San Diego Comic-Con in a trademark dispute over who can use the words “comic con.” A jury sided with San Diego and Salt Lake Comic Con has since renamed itself as “FanX.”In court papers seeking relief, Dan Farr Productions argued that if it were forced to pay the multi-million dollar judgment, it feared bankruptcy and a negative impact to Utah’s economy. FanX is one of the state’s largest conventions, drawing in more than 100,000 people for the event.San Diego Comic-Con also said in a separate court filing it did not object to a brief halt while the case proceeded.
...and the beat goes on....