Disney wants to trademark Seal Team 6

[philw]

http://www.thestar.com/entertainment/article/992002--disney-wants-to-trademark-bin-laden-killers

They’re trying hard to maintain anonymity, but entertainment giants are trying harder to highlight the elite special forces team that killed Osama bin Laden.

First came word that the Oscar-winning team of director Kathryn Bigelow and screenwriter Mark Boal, who made The Hurt Locker, were fine-tuning their script about the hunt for the world’s most wanted terrorist.

Now, MediaBistro reports the Walt Disney Company is trying to trademark the unit’s name, Seal Team 6, through the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

Disney's application, filed two days after bin Laden’s May 1 death, includes toys, games and playthings; gymnastic and sporting articles (except clothing); hand-held units for playing electronic games; Christmas stockings; Christmas tree ornaments; snow globes; clothing; footwear; headwear and “entertainment and education services.” The company hasn’t announced its plans for the patent if granted.

The members of the special team that took down bin Laden in Pakistan are unlikely to ever speak publicly about the raid that ended a decade-long manhunt, but that won’t stop the move to publicize the group being heralded as heroes.

While any kind of film is at least a year from completion, according to The Hollywood Reporter, Howard Wasdin’s book, SEAL Team Six: Memoirs of an Elite Navy SEAL Sniper, is being rushed into stores this week ahead of its originally scheduled May 24 publication date.

How can they do this when it is  something that the US Navy already owns?


so..  when will they put a trademark on the USA flag and the Whitehouse.

it is amazing to me how corporate greed shows no bounds.

[TAB]

Phil, there is no seal team 6.  Its a "nick name"

[philw]

Phil, there is no seal team 6.  Its a "nick name"

yea

however how can they trademark something that refers to a seal team...

[alfsauve]

The problem with this is that there's no one to challenge Disney, since officially the government won't acknowledge there is a Seal Team 6.

And as far as public domain, everything the government creates is in the public domain......it belongs to the people.  So all pictures and videos shot by any government agency are public domain.     That includes all military pictures (not otherwise classified).

[Solus]

You know, being pretty much an unabashed Capitalist...well, a firm believer in the Capitalist system anyway...I don't have any problem with folks exploiting a profitable market niche. 

However, part of that is always royalties being paid to those who have created the "market impact" of the image.

Sports teams, athletes, actors, singers, all of them receive royalties for the use of their "image".

The same should apply here.   Paid not to the individuals, who likely would refuse them, not to the SEALS program or any part of the US Military, but rather to support all those who have given so much in service to our country.

The Wounded Warrior program comes to mind, but I know there are many others that help and support all levels of those who have served and their families.

I only hope that those who do profit from the sacrifice of those brave soldiers had the decency and conscious to repay some of the debt we all owe. 

How much is enough?   150% of the profits doesn't come close to repayment, but I know this is a business.  Let us hope it as much as that paid to other celebrities in royalties...and then add a percent or two, just because it is deserved. 

 

[Sponsor]

[Texas_Bryan]

Good luck with that Disney, SEAL Team 6 has already been used in a ton of media, including games, which I assume is there number one reason for trying this.  For the record, at the end of the day, I work for Disney, making games.

[fightingquaker13]

You know every other SEAL team is rooting for this to go through. Think of the potential for fun. I see lots of mouse ears, Anette Funicello pinups, and the others guys singing M-I-C-K-E-Y during PT. And that's just for starters.
FQ13

[tombogan03884]

Does the Mouse REALLY want to mess with these guy's ?
I mean really, they just killed a rat. A mouse would be no challenge at all.   

[jnevis]

I may REALLY piss of the rest of the house, they're Disney FREAKS, but I'm seriously considering an email to Disney letting them know how much of a slap in the face of everything honorable and what Walt would do to even CONSIDER a dumb ploy like this.
No more Disney Store here, forget the trip to DizzyWorld too.