"...And the home of the (not the team from Atlanta, Boston, or Milwaukee) brave."
This would appear to be the way Major League Baseball would like us to approach using its copyrighted team names and logos. Another incident has sparked news feeds around the country to buzz with anger about MLB's gestapo-like tactics regulating team names.
Back in March, the independent Cape Cod League was shaken down by Bud Selig's goons for using trademarked team names. Chatham "A's," Hyannis "Mets," and the Yarmouth-Dennis "Red Sox" are just a few of the names that Selig feels belong to MLB.
Because of this, the Cape Cod League should be paying MLB.
This didn't seem like too much of a stretch until another one of the team names was brought in to question: "Mariners." The Harwich team has existed since 1930, pre-dating the Seattle team by more than 30 years. Obviously Major League Baseball got a little greedy here with a semi-professional league that was making money off teams with the same names as theirs.
MLB wanted a piece of the pie.
Today, however, I heard a story about a suburban Chicago little league team that was also being harassed by MLB's Luca Brasi. The league is made up of teams called "Cubs," "Red Sox," "Yankees," and plenty more of Major League Baseball's ever-important team names. The league must now buy its jerseys from MLB-authorized Majestic or use generic names.
For now, the teams are all called "Bulldogs." Seems that MLB should change their name to "Bullies."
4 comments Last one added about 1 year ago — Leave a Comment
Joe Handzik about 1 year ago
This is a joke. How much more will fans take from M.L.B. This is enough to keep me away from any future Major League Games. I have played and coached Little League Baseball and have never considered that there was any profit being made by the leagues when they use these team names. So much for getting this generation of kids to see baseball as something to do together, it's all about the money.
Joe Handzik
Frankfort Il.
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TJ Fisher about 1 year ago
I couldn't have said it better myself, Joe. Of course, I agree it is all about the money or how else could they pay those top salaries? As a kid I remember the bleachers at Wrigley cost a dollar and tickets in the stands cost 5.00. Believe me that is no longer the case and even give the rate of inflation.. the prices have really been jacked up since I was a kid in the 70s. It seems to me that the MLB is out pricing the fans and pretty soon no one will be watching because they honestly won't be able to afford it.
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Jeremy Hazen about 1 year ago
This is unbelievable. I understand wanting the teams to not use the logos. But even the names? How many mascots are there? How many high schools out there are called the Tigers? Does that mean that MLB is going to sue all these high schools for royalties? It just doesn't seem to me that MLB can really make a case except for the demand to not use logos. Overall, though, this is just ridiculous. Let the kids play baseball and imagine that they are playing for the "real" Cubs, Yankees, Dodgers, and Red Sox.
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Jamie MacLachlan about 1 year ago
It's not like the TEAMS are making any money off the logos or merchandise....even the games are free. They pass the hat and ask (not require) for donations at the gate....and it's always been this way. So I don't know why MLB is going after the league... If they want to bully someone, bully the local merchants (not really) who are selling the merchandise. The only merchandise the league sells had the Cape Cod League on it...nothing else.
It's sad...the Cape League is really old school....college kids playing their butts off, some living with local families, working in local shops on the side....totally fan friendly small parks, real interaction with the players...and great baseball. To have MLB drag the league (1 in 7 MLB players played on the Cape) into this is just bad PR and greedy. Of course, what do you expect from a commissioner who is now going after Little League teams. Our national pastime has become litigiousness. Thanks, Bud!
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