Event Date: February 12th, 1994
Event Description: Colts Comeback?
Source: Washington Post
A pro football team may be coming to Baltimore, but if the National Football League has its way, it won't be called the Colts.
The CFL will next week formally announce the awarding of a Baltimore franchise that will play its games in Memorial Stadium starting this summer. Team owner Jim Speros has said he'd like to call the team the Colts.
But NFL Properties President John Flood sent a letter yesterday to CFL Commissioner Larry Smith informing him the "CFL's use of the mark Baltimore Colts would create confusion and would constitute trademark infringement and unfair competition under federal and state laws in this country."
Flood said NFL Properties still uses Baltimore Colts in sales of products under the league's "Throwbacks" program.
The Indianapolis Colts, who played in Baltimore until moving in 1984, also have objected to the use of the Colts name.
“Absent prompt resolution," Flood wrote, "we will have no choice but to pursue available and appropriate legal remedies."
Commissioner Smith and Baltimore owner Speros were not available to comment last night.
Mike Murray, the CFL's vice-president for communications, said last night that the CFL was aware there might be a problem with the Colts and has advised Speros he might have to come up with another option. But because the franchise has not been officially awarded, any comment on the name would be premature.
Murray also said Speros was advised to have his own lawyers do the proper title searches to the name Colts and that he was responsible for that.
Murray said the league expects to officially award the franchise by the end of next week.
