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WWF trademark dispute
The WWF trademark dispute was a legal event where the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) filed a lawsuit against the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) over the violation of a prior international agreement regarding usage of the "WWF" initials. The Fund had used the "WWF" initialism 18 years prior to the Federation's use.
On April 17, 2000, the Fund commenced proceedings in the High Court of Justice in England against the Federation, citing breaches of their 1994 international agreement, as the Fund was based in Switzerland, and the Federation was based in the United States. The High Court ruled in favor of the Fund on August 10, 2001, and the Court of Appeal upheld their ruling on February 27, 2002. On May 6, 2002, the Federation, despite having an active petition for appeal at the House of Lords, announced their name change to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
On May 16, 2002, WWE chairman Vince McMahon appeared on TSN's Off the Record with Michael Landsberg, stating that wrestling's international expansion in the 1990s, as well as the advent of the Internet, had created unforeseen challenges when the Federation and the Fund initially agreed on the use of the "WWF" initials in 1989.
The World Wildlife Fund registered the "WWF" initials as a trademark in 1961. Despite changing its name internationally to the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1989, the Fund retained use of the "WWF" initials globally as its logo and in-print, and still referred to itself as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the United States and Canada.
Originally founded as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) in 1953, the wrestling promotion changed its name in 1963 to the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). In 1979, the WWWF rebranded as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Initially, the Federation conducted operations only within the United States, and did not venture internationally.
On September 6, 1989, the Fund had filed for extensions of time to oppose a trademark application by the Federation for "WWF", on the grounds of potential confusion with their own registered "WWF" trademark.
On September 12, 1989, the Federation sent a letter to the Fund addressing its federal trademark application for the "WWF" mark in International Class 41 (for wrestling entertainment services). The International Class 41 also includes education, which the Fund were registered in. This marked the beginning of formal discussions between the two parties regarding the use of the "WWF" initials.
On September 26, 1989, both parties reached an agreement that the Federation would not use the "WWF" initials in the Times Roman typeface when the initials appeared alone, without the Federation's logo. In exchange, the Fund agreed not to oppose the Federation's federal trademark registration for "WWF" in Class 41.
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WWF trademark dispute
The WWF trademark dispute was a legal event where the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF) filed a lawsuit against the World Wrestling Federation (WWF) over the violation of a prior international agreement regarding usage of the "WWF" initials. The Fund had used the "WWF" initialism 18 years prior to the Federation's use.
On April 17, 2000, the Fund commenced proceedings in the High Court of Justice in England against the Federation, citing breaches of their 1994 international agreement, as the Fund was based in Switzerland, and the Federation was based in the United States. The High Court ruled in favor of the Fund on August 10, 2001, and the Court of Appeal upheld their ruling on February 27, 2002. On May 6, 2002, the Federation, despite having an active petition for appeal at the House of Lords, announced their name change to World Wrestling Entertainment (WWE).
On May 16, 2002, WWE chairman Vince McMahon appeared on TSN's Off the Record with Michael Landsberg, stating that wrestling's international expansion in the 1990s, as well as the advent of the Internet, had created unforeseen challenges when the Federation and the Fund initially agreed on the use of the "WWF" initials in 1989.
The World Wildlife Fund registered the "WWF" initials as a trademark in 1961. Despite changing its name internationally to the World Wide Fund for Nature in 1989, the Fund retained use of the "WWF" initials globally as its logo and in-print, and still referred to itself as the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) in the United States and Canada.
Originally founded as the Capitol Wrestling Corporation (CWC) in 1953, the wrestling promotion changed its name in 1963 to the World Wide Wrestling Federation (WWWF). In 1979, the WWWF rebranded as the World Wrestling Federation (WWF). Initially, the Federation conducted operations only within the United States, and did not venture internationally.
On September 6, 1989, the Fund had filed for extensions of time to oppose a trademark application by the Federation for "WWF", on the grounds of potential confusion with their own registered "WWF" trademark.
On September 12, 1989, the Federation sent a letter to the Fund addressing its federal trademark application for the "WWF" mark in International Class 41 (for wrestling entertainment services). The International Class 41 also includes education, which the Fund were registered in. This marked the beginning of formal discussions between the two parties regarding the use of the "WWF" initials.
On September 26, 1989, both parties reached an agreement that the Federation would not use the "WWF" initials in the Times Roman typeface when the initials appeared alone, without the Federation's logo. In exchange, the Fund agreed not to oppose the Federation's federal trademark registration for "WWF" in Class 41.