This Buds for U of M?!
"According to WSJ, the Bud Light promotion is marketed toward game day drinking, with 27 different color combinations geared toward different universities. It rolled out this month near Louisiana State University with purple-and-gold cans and Iowa State University with red-and-gold cans."
http://www.annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan-threatens-legal-act…
August 21st, 2009 at 12:29 PM ^
Hmm... unless they put a block M, helmet design, or player or coach names or faces on the can, I don't think it can be infringement. That said, I'm not surprised the university is against it. As a whole, they've generally tried to maintain high standards and distance themselves from things like drinking, example: dry stadium.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:37 PM ^
Actually this is a NCAA requirement, not a university one, though UM probably does not disagree. The NCAA does not allow alcohol to be sold at any on-campus venue or university owned athletic facility.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:43 PM ^
It is not a NCAA requirement but a college's choice. See the new Minnesota stadium and them offering rebates after choosing to not serve alcohol.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:46 PM ^
It is an NCAA requirement for college-owned stadiums. Does Minnesota own its new facility?
August 21st, 2009 at 12:50 PM ^
Its called TCF Bank Stadium and its on-campus so I presume they do own it.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:57 PM ^
Location doesn't matter. The L.A. Coliseum is right on USC's campus but it isn't owned by them. Given that Minnesota used taxpayer funds to pay for its stadium, I wouldn't assume they own it, either.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:59 PM ^
Ok I did not know that rule stipulation. Thanks for informing me!
August 21st, 2009 at 2:13 PM ^
I thought the L.A. Coliseum was actually right next to campus, but not specifically on campus. Isn't the stadium in a park with museums and the old arena?
August 21st, 2009 at 2:43 PM ^
Actually, I just read an article today about one of the UL schools adding alcohol to their games, making them the second university in Louisiana to allow beer.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:03 PM ^
OK, I'm not exactly for sure how this fits in, but I know MSU serves alcohol in the new luxury boxes (or at least did at first when they were built earlier this decade). They are owned by MSU, but they had to pull some shenanigans and have the boxes at technically a different street address than Spartan Stadium in order to serve alcohol. I thought it was a liquor license issue IIRC, but this seems like a giant loophole for anyone wanting to skip the NCAA required ban for college-owned stadiums, if one actually exists.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:34 PM ^
Yeah, some teams have found a loophole that can allow them to serve alcohol in the boxes, though not elsewhere. That might be what the Minnesota deal was about.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:21 PM ^
That's interesting. I was pretty sure it was a college by college decision, wherein I had just read about Minnesota deciding not to serve alcohol.
I would be interested in reading the language of the particular bylaw, since it seems there are easy workarounds.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:47 PM ^
Not true. Tulane University sells alcohol in both it's on campus basketball arena and baseball stadium. This was also brought up in Dr. Saturday's Headlining thread today. University of Louisiana-Lafayette is going to start selling in their football stadium. The article specifically mentions that there is no NCAA ban on alcohol sales.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:23 PM ^
Whether a place is on-campus or not is not the issue, but whether it is college-owned. Are those facilities owned by the schools in question?
August 21st, 2009 at 2:29 PM ^
Sure are. There simply is no NCAA rule against selling alcohol at regular season games. Someone mentioned below that NCAA tournament games have a ban, and I think that is true. The final four in the superdome did not have alcohol. But for regular season games, there is no ban on alcohol sales at games, whether they are on-campus/off-campus or university owned/non-university owned.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
You know what, you're right. The ban is for NCAA-sanctioned championship events (and technically doesn't even apply to bowls). Brain fart on my part.
August 21st, 2009 at 3:06 PM ^
MUHAHAHA! VICTORY!
Or... something.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
I've been to college-owned arenas that serve alcohol.
August 21st, 2009 at 8:59 PM ^
..at basketball and football games. The basketball arena is on campus and football is played at the home of the Bucs, the Ray-Jay. Sadly, the basketball team is so bad that you almost need a few beers to keep from being really, really sick if you are cheering for the home team.
I really like the environment of stadiums that allow beer sales.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:36 PM ^
liklihood of confusion b/t the University and shitty beer based soley on colors.
Sounds like lawyers fee churning in down times.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:31 PM ^
Thanks for the article.
I can't wait to see the results of this lawsuit. How can the colors maize and blue, when taken together, constitute a trademark?
August 21st, 2009 at 12:31 PM ^
Anyone remember when Makers Mark made those crazy bottles with the Maize and Blue wax/top combo?
August 21st, 2009 at 12:35 PM ^
Yeah, whatever happened to those?
August 21st, 2009 at 12:37 PM ^
When did they make those? I never heard of that one but I have been living out of state/country for awhile.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:05 PM ^
I remember seeing them around 2003ish. I know I saw one for Michigan, Michigan State, and one for the Lions. They basically just threw color combos together and marketed them as whatever they wanted. This picture is from Ebay and supposedly for Lousiana or something but its the same thing.
http://cgi.ebay.com/LOUISIANA-TEAM-COLORS-MAKERS-MARK-2-COASTERS_W0QQit…
http://cgi.ebay.com/LOUISIANA-TEAM-COLORS-MAKERS-MARK-2-COASTERS_W0QQit…August 21st, 2009 at 12:46 PM ^
Still haven't forgotten the Columbus building advertisement... and I never will.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:58 PM ^
Long memory!
August 21st, 2009 at 5:45 PM ^
Ditto that.
August 21st, 2009 at 12:48 PM ^
The NCAA can't be happy with this promotion. I'll be surprised if it lasts.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:00 PM ^
Not to mention the fact that this is obviously just a thinly veiled scheme to overthrow Natty's powerful hold on the fraturday pregame market!
August 21st, 2009 at 1:58 PM ^
is a futile effort
August 21st, 2009 at 1:01 PM ^
They can FOAD. Free enterprise. This is posturing by the Universities. I don't blame them, but I would be surprised if there were any legal merit to their claims (unless A-B did something colossally stupid and infringing)
August 21st, 2009 at 2:18 PM ^
If I'm going to drink themed swill, I'll go with Wolverine beer.
August 21st, 2009 at 3:09 PM ^
And even that takes a real commitment.
Someone needs to rethink that recipe.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:44 PM ^
It's kind of annoying that U-M is the only school getting their panties in a bunch over it. I can't see how they have any legal standing anyway.
Imagine if they get their way: according to them, someone marketing maize and blue items to Michigan fans runs afoul of trademark laws. Wouldn't that make an uncomfortable situation for, say, the MGoStore? It's bad precedent.
August 21st, 2009 at 1:59 PM ^
We are not the only ones, In the Wall Street Journal article it elaborates....
"At least 25 schools have formally asked Anheuser-Busch to drop the campaign near their campuses, Mr. Siegal says. In recent letters, the University of Michigan's lawyers threatened legal action for alleged trademark infringement, demanding that Anheuser-Busch not sell the "maize and blue" cans in the "entire state." The University of Colorado, Oklahoma State University, Texas A&M University and Boston College have also told the company to stop distribution near their campuses, citing trademark issues concern about student alcohol use. "
August 21st, 2009 at 2:23 PM ^
Hm, thanks for clearing that up. I can still be annoyed, though. Neither trademark issues nor student alcohol use sound even remotely reasonable to my ears.
August 22nd, 2009 at 6:39 AM ^
I don't know if this is a recent stance by Colorado, but I used to live in Denver from '91-'94 and went to Buffalo games, and beer was sold at them.
August 22nd, 2009 at 1:35 PM ^
right around then. PC BS was the reason, not some offuicial mandate. Sucked, because that was one of the cooler things about Folsom
August 21st, 2009 at 1:56 PM ^
There is no NCAA rule against alcohol in college-owned venues during regular season games. Search the NCAA bylaws; you will not find it. The NCAA does not allow alcohol to be served at NCAA tournament events, but that is the extent of their jurisdiction of college sports and alcohol.
I do recall hearing that the Big Ten does not allow alcohol to be served at any on-campus sporting events.
August 21st, 2009 at 2:09 PM ^
http://www.sportingnews.com/blog/the_sporting_blog/entry/view/30796/lou…
I guess you can sell alcohol if you want to.
August 21st, 2009 at 5:50 PM ^
The thing has been nixed...
http://www.annarbor.com/news/university-of-michigan/