NFL intercepts fan in battle for 'Harbowl'
Roy Fox filed paperwork to copyright 'Harbowl' and 'Harbaughbowl' but now the NFL wants him to walk away from trademark before the Super Bowl
The NFL reportedly blew the whistle on an Indiana man’s plans to trademark "Harbowl" in anticipation that the sibling coaches would face each other in a Super Bowl.
Roy Fox told ESPN he spent more than $1,000 to file trademarks for "Harbowl" and "Harbaugh Bowl" before the conference championship games last season.
“I thought to myself, Can you imagine if these guys played each other?” Fox told ESPN.
Fox said just before start of the 2012-2013 season the NFL sent a note that his trademarks could conflict with the NFL’s trademark of Super Bowl.
"It started out with a phone call asking what my intentions were," he told Fox News' Greta Van Susteren on Thursday.
The NFL asked Fox if he was affiliated with any NFL teams and if he was affiliated with the Harbaugh brothers, NFL spokesman Brian McCarthy told ESPN. Fox answered no to both questions.
The NFL then reportedly encouraged Fox to abandon the trademarks.
A Colts fan, Fox asked the league if they would provide him with season tickets, reimbursement for the cost of the trademarks and an autographed photo of league commissioner Roger Goodell.
Fox told ESPN a league spokesman denied all requests.
Fox abandoned the trademarks in October, after he said the NFL threatened to have him pay the legal bills racked up when the league took action to oppose his filing.
The league has yet to trademark any slogans or sayings related to the Feb. 3 Super Bowl, where Jim Harbaugh’s San Francisco 49ers and John Harbaugh’s Baltimore Ravens will face off in the championship game.
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