http://sports.espn.go.com/nfl/playoffs05/news/story?id=2309668 FORT WORTH -- The Seattle Seahawks are facing the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl, but they have an off-the-field battle brewing with Texas A&M. School officials are upset with the Seahawks' use of the "12th Man" theme to recognize their fan support. A&M has legal claims to the "12th Man" moniker, a school tradition that dates to the 1920s. Texas A&M contends the 12th man lives at Kyle Field, not in Seattle. The Seahawks have celebrated their fans as a "12th Man" since the 1980s, when they used to turn the now-demolished Kingdome into one of the NFL's loudest venues. The team retired the No. 12 in 1984. Now, a No. 12 flag waves atop the city's signature Space Needle and the team has raised a "12th Man" banner at their new stadium, Qwest Field. A&M's "12th Man" tradition started in 1922, when a student, E. King Gill, was called from the stands to suit up for the injury-depleted Aggies as they faced top-ranked Centre College. Gill never got in the game, but the Aggies won 22-14. The tradition has evolved into a campus-wide commitment to support the football team. Students stand for entire games at Kyle Field and at times, they join arms and sway in unison, causing the stadium to literally shake. A&M has twice registered trademarks for "The 12th Man" label -- in 1990 and 1996 -- that include entertainment services, "namely organizing and conducting intercollegiate sporting events," and products, such as caps, T-shirts, novelty buttons and jewelry. Athletics director Bill Byrne said this week he's received e-mails from A&M supporters complaining about the Seahawks' "brazen use of the 12th Man theme at their home playoff games." Byrne said A&M has contacted the Seahawks about the issue. He said he wrote the Chicago Bears and Buffalo Bills in the past about halting their 12th man themes once the university made them aware of the trademark registrations. Byrne said Seattle, though, "has been slow-rolling us." Lance Lopes, the Seahawks' vice president of corporate partnerships/legal affairs, told the Fort Worth Star-Telegram he would not comment on whether the team would meet A&M's request. "I will say this," Lopes told the newspaper. "Our fans have been the folks that have run with the 12th man. It has not been the organization itself. We raise a flag with a 12 on it, it doesn't say 12th man or anything like that. We retired the jersey No. 12 many, many years ago and we've always sort of kept it under that context. "But, in terms of this whole 12th man derivative, if you will, that's occurred in the mass media and the public here locally. It has not been generated by the organization, per se." But Steve Moore, A&M's chief marketing officer, said the school has seen Seahawks-themed "12th Man" merchandise and has no way to know whether the franchise itself is producing it. The team's pro shop is sold out of No. 12 replica game jerseys and No. 12 flags and a fan Web site -- SeaHawkers.org -- offers downloadable computer desktop wallpaper that reads: "At Home We are the 12th Man" and "On the Road We are the 12th Man." "In the normal course of action, once someone becomes aware of it and they understand that you have a registered trademark, normally they cease," said Steve Moore, A&M's chief marketing officer. "In this case, they have chosen not to, but we are still hopeful that they will, quite frankly." The university's last resort is to take the Seahawks to court, but Moore said A&M is not prepared to do that yet. "What we hope is that the normal course of action will work, and that they'll choose to recognize our ownership of the trademark," he said.
so seattle has been using it since the early 80s.... a&m trademarked it in 1990.. and just now is complaining about it
One of the many things I've never understood about A&M... if you might be called down to the field to help the Aggies out at any time, why would you stand the whole game? Wouldn't you want to sit down at times so you'd be fresh? Seems if they really needed you late in the 4th Quarter, you might be stiff and have cramps in your legs from standing in one spot so long.
Whiners. When Aggies learn to divide by two, maybe they'll go after basketball's "6th Man" concept. Gee, referring to your fans as an additional member of your team. That deserved a trademark. Ugh.
Pathetic. aggy has always sucked - except when they were cheating like hell and barely escaped the death penalty.
I dont get why anyone would side with Seattle. Tradition is important to college sports. Tradition in pro sports is a joke, even rivalries are a dime a dozen. Sox- Yankees, Lakers-Celtics, and thats about it. Every one of you siding with Seattle would be pissed as hell if the Supersonics or the University of Washington started using "Clutch City" during its playoff or tournament run. And for all I know that slogan isnt even legally protected.
