NCAA to go after online gambling companies
A cease and desist order has been sent to one of the top gaming affiliate companies ordering them to stop using the term “March Madness” in its ads and on the company web site.
The cease and desist order states, among other things:
Your company’s current promotion for a “March Madness Affiliate Cash Bonus” utilizes the trademark “March Madness”.
It also states:
Your use of the mark injures MMAA’s goodwill and is misleading because consumers are likely to believe that a marketing relationship exists between your company and the NCAA…..Additionally, your unauthorized use of “March Madness” unlawfully exploits the goodwill associated with one of the NCAA’s most popular championships for your company’s commercial advantage.
The online gambling firm in question has since removed the “March Madness” reference from its advertising and web site but this move by the NCAA sets an unusual precedence in that they will likely have to go after all online sports betting companies, a few hundred in total.
In the letter, the NCAA aludes to a case March Madness Athletic Association vs. NetFire Inc. and Sports Marketing.
