Via The Blast.com:
According to court documents obtained by The Blast, the United States Patent and Trademark Office has shut down Bryant’s attempt to wrap up the case.
Bryant has been battling the pharmaceutical company Hi-Tech Pharmaceuticals for years. Hi-Tech is attempting to trademark the name “Black Mamba HYPERRUSH.” Bryant is fighting them saying they were ripping off his famous nickname.
The NBA legend recently asked the Trademark board to side with him and void Hi-Tech’s trademark applications. In newly filed documents, the United States Patent and Trademark Office shut down Bryant’s request allowing the case to move forward to trial. They believe the evidence shows there is still much to be determined.
The board found, “there is evidence in the record that: (1) Opposer admits that there is a species of snake known as BLACK MAMBA; (2) Bryant derived his nickname BLACK MAMBA from the Quentin Tarantino movie Kill Bill and (3) BLACK MAMBA is also the nickname of the boxer Roger Mayweather.
“At a minimum, there is a genuine dispute as to whether the term BLACK MAMBA points uniquely and unmistakably to Bryant.”
They added, “we find that, in view of the aforementioned use by others of the term BLACK MAMBA, there is a genuine dispute as to whether the public would reasonably assume a connection between Bryant and Applicant’s goods.”
Since the board wasn’t entirely convinced by Bryant’s arguments, they denied his motion for summary judgment. The case will now head to trial where they will battle it out.
Kobe has the money and resources to fight this.
You don’t tangle with someone as competitive as Kobe is.
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