Knitters Outraged After U.S. Olympic Committee Squashes Knitting Olympics—and Disses Knitters.
Oh you really MUST read this.
I posted this on Facebook shortly ago with the note for non-knitters that:
All of the patterns that the Olympic committee is picking on (yes, I understand trademark infringement, fair use, etc, read on…) are NOT designed by Casey. NO ONE is making money off of them. These are patterns made up by Just Regular Folks who wanted to have fun while while watching the Games.
I don’t think they’ll be watching now.
TWO MILLION VIEWERS the Olympics may have lost.
Hello?
Advertisers?
Can you imagine how precedent-setting this COULD have been?
“Hi Casey, yeah, technically its and infringement, but we know this means all y’all will be watching so we’d like to achieve a little detente here. We’d like to ask that no money be exchanged for the Olympics-symbol-bearing patterns or if money is exchanged, that 70% of it be sent to This charity. We look forward to seeing what everyone makes while they’re watching our awesome Games. Thank you!”
Right?
But NNNnooooooo, y’all gotta go piss off two million knitters with pointy sticks.
I pity the fool.
I really do.
UPDATE: Oh My Goodness. I’ve never seen so many replies. I hope the good people at Wait! Wait! and Mo Rocka are following—and patting themselves on the back. They knew how to behave (and Mo got a sweater out of it!).
I know right? I get copyright and trademark protection. Ya gotta. Changing the name wouldn’t bother any knitter I know. We respect that. But despite a recent statement, that letter was not standard boiler-plate cease-and-desist and here’s why. (see http://www.teamusa.org/News/2012/June/21/statement-from-usoc-spokesperson-patrick-sandusky.aspx )
I’m no lawyer (although my boyfriend IS in law school which must count for something… right??) but I don’t even see how the name is a trademark violation. It’s derivative – a parody, if you will – and so ought to be protected. I’m pretty sure the USOC don’t actually have a legal leg to stand on and are just being bullies, here. Even worse that they have to insult us in the process!