Intellectual Property Law

Bouchat Sues Ravens, NFL Over "Flying B" Design

By Brian Wm. Higgin

Summary: The twelfth lawsuit filed in the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland in 2008 involves a familiar name to some in Baltimore: Frederick Bouchat.   

• #12:  Bouchat v. Baltimore Ravens LP, No. 1:08-cv-00397, filed February 14, 2008

     The Baltimore Ravens changed their logo in 1999 to the raven bird with a "B," but before that, they used a "B" on a shield with wings and the word "Ravens," which the U.S. District Court for the District of Maryland found infringed a design copyrighted by Frederick Bouchat in 1996 (see below). Bouchat, a Baltimore security guard in December 1995 when he drew his original "Flying B" design and sent it to the Baltimore Ravens, sued the Ravens and the National Football League Properties (NFLP) over their use and licensing of the "Shield B" logo, and won. The Court of Appeals for the Fourth Circuit affirmed the district court decision (see related post here). 

   On February 14, 2008, Bouchat sued the Ravens again, as well as the National Football League (NFL), NFL Films, Inc., and The Baltimore Sun Company, alleging that defendants have and continue to sell, distribute, and publicly display the old "Shield B" logo in connection with, for example, season highlight films, promotional films shown at Ravens games, team game films, memorabilia, photographs, and, in the case of the Baltimore Sun, websites. Bouchat is seeking destruction of infringing materials, an injunction, and unspecified damages.

     Bouchat is represented by Daniel Doty of Schulman & Kaufman LLC, a Baltimore law firm.

Full post as published by Maryland Intellectual Property Law Blog on February 18, 2008 (boomark / email).