Disney Moves to Trademark ‘SEAL Team 6’ — Is This Right?
- Posted on May 15, 2011 at 8:56pm by
Mike Opelka
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Just because you CAN do something, doesn’t mean you should. Or does it?
Mediabistro is reporting that Disney has applied for trademarks on SEAL Team 6.
The trademark applications came on May 3rd, two days after the operation that killed Bin Laden… and two days after “Seal Team 6″ was included in thousands of news articles and TV programs focusing on the operation.
Disney’s trademark applications for “Seal Team 6″ cover clothing, footwear, headwear, toys, games and “entertainment and education services,” among other things.
Digging deeper within the trademark application we see that Disney has some wide-ranging plans for the Navy SEAL merchandising. They have requested trademark protection with the intent to make and sell the following;
Toys, games and playthings; gymnastic and sporting articles (except clothing); hand-held units for playing electronic games other than those adapted for use with an external display screen or monitor; Christmas stockings; Christmas tree ornaments and decorations; snow globes.
SNOW GLOBES?
Of course, Disney also filed an application for a trademark on a SEAL Team 6 movie. There is little doubt that within hours of the attack that killed bin Laden many Hollywood studios fired up the old action-adventure engines, dusted off scripts that were pro-U.S. military, and pushed those rom-coms off to the far corners of the production calendar. Disney just seems to have beaten them all to the punch.
Therefore, the question remains: just because you can do something, should you?
h/t to the Drudge Report
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Comments (160)
Bhaub
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:42pmYay! Indoctrinating the youth with good old-fashioned military stuff! All the gun nuts here will be more than happy to teach their children the best rifle to pick for all their murdering!
Report Post »Socialism_Is_The_New_Black
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:05pmYour posts are so ironic taking into account that full tank of high-test hate you have it filled up with. You’d think a pacifist such as yourself would be above name calling.
Report Post »TEIN
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:45pmYes, Bhaub..your statement is exactly the type of things an enemy tells it’s target before it sets out to conquer them.
Report Post »thermonator
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:33pmAs distasteful as I find this to be, I can’t see how it is any different then the GI Joe I grew up with. It would be more palatable if Disney gave a portion of the profits to the military families that lost love ones in battle.
Report Post »WHITE LOTUS2x
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:30pmIf they are alowed to do this, I wonder how many ways the profits will be split? And the names of the ones getting a split would be interesting. You can bet the seals will not receive any. Greedy creatures they are.Thumbs down to disney. Lotus.
Report Post »kspatriot
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:30pmTrade Marked or not, I would think the United States Military would be the rightful owner of the name. Disney should have to pay them for the right to use it.
Report Post »RLTW
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:25pmST-6 should have already trademarked there name, I know for fact that other spec-Ops units have, so as not to be used as a product.
Truth be told the American people own the rights to the US military.
Report Post »Broadsided
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:20pmThe trademark was out there before, Some game company owned it and let it expire. So if the Navy that does not even acknowledge Seal Team 6 does not seem to have a problem with it than all is well.
Disney will do the right thing.
As far as making money exploiting the US Military than maybe we should do away with such films as Apocalypse Now, All Quiet on the Western Front, Saving Private Ryan, Schindler’s List, Platoon, The Bridge over the Rirver Kwai, Patton, The Dirty Dozen, The Longest Day, From Here to Eternity, Sergeant York, The Great Escape, Battleship Potemkin, Das Boot, The Deer Hunter, Full Metal Jacket, Letters From Iwo Jima, A Bridge Too Far, just to mention a few. I am sure that these movies were done all on a non profit basis.
Grow up people. You are just jumping on the big dog because of it is easy feasting.
Conservatives do not get in the way of the free market. Disney is in business to make money and they will not do anything to hurt their bottom line.
The MARKET WILL DETERMINE THE SUCCESS OF ANY VENTURE.
Has everyone forgotten “Atas Shrugged”
God Bless the USA
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:37pmATAS??? you mean Atlas Shrugged?
Report Post »TheGreyPiper
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:25pmNone of those films were trying to hijack and trademark the name of an actual fighting group.
Report Post »morvamarsh
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 3:21pmHey Georgiejo, Broadsided made a very important point, and all you noticed was the typo? What are you doing here? Maybe you should start your own blog entitled, “Nit-Picker’s Typo-Police Blog.” Sheesh.
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:17pmDISNEY should match or double Bill O’Reillys show contributing the MONEY to WOUNDED WARRIORS or Fisher House
Disney has turned into just plain skankee
Report Post »Wolf
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:15pmIf I’m not mistaken, ‘Seal Team Six’ is already copyrighted by Dick Marcinko… and if any fairies at disneyland want to argue it with him, I‘m sure he’d be more than glad to show them what kind of bottomsuckingpussyfaceddicksuckingwannabehumans they really are.
Report Post »TJexcite
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:00pmI can see the plot now.
I new and special team of elite forces has been created, all they ask for is a cod fish…
They are real seals and they talk to the dolphins and walrus. To save their friends from the killer wales and polar bears that has now came into there home because of the changes in sea ice. This seal team has been created to replace the other 5 that have failed. Will SEAL team 6 take out the bad guys and save the day.
Coming soon Disney Pixar 3D in 2012.
Report Post »Rob
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:59pmDisney used to mean clean and good… now it means trashy and money… screw them.
Report Post »pHredster
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:56pm…who’da thunk it…Mickey another S.E.A.L. poser…
Report Post »Salamander
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:55pmHey, they should trademark POTUS!
Report Post »Zer0
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:40pmDisney is a massive film company that owns ABC, along with other movie studios (particuliarly ones that make movies that they do not want associated with the “Disney” name). They also own the rights to some “porn”, supposedly. So Disney seeking the rights to “SEAL Team Six” is not anything out of the norm, perhaps unethical, but not extraordinary. It isn‘t Walt’s “Disney” anymore, sadly.
Report Post »nomercy63
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:27pmYeah maybe the Disney cartoon can explain Constitutional Law to the kiddies and the the US should not execute anyone.
Report Post »777patriot
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:25pmWhat is exactly wrong with Disney doing it??? Better Disney than Michael Moore. Lets just hope we don’t see Charlie Sheen reprise his Seal role. Other than that I don’t see a problem here. Or are you people just agreeing with Obama that those big faceless companies are evil & have made enough money already???
Report Post »M-Theory
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 1:36pmBecause “Disney” is synonymous with cartoons, lightheartedness and fluff; we shouldn’t want to make or support anyone who would make a caricature out of Seal Team 6 (including the company that makes the Obama “Barbie” Doll). They are not cartoons. Their work is life and death. Stating publicly that you’re boycotting would do nothing (as we’ve learned in the past) but a letter-writing campaign to these companies about the unpatriotic and disrespectful gesture toward our miliary would have some impact if enough people did it.
Report Post »islandlady
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:24pmI would think any attorney could stop this. You cannot steal someone’s intellectual property or idea especially the governments. Unless the government approved it with a percentage going to the Government.
Report Post »Do you think that is possible, do you think that could have happened? If so, and we didn’t know, where would all the money go?
searching for the Truth
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:18pmYou know Glenn? If one ever wanted to realize the inherit dangers of a religion then one “ should” do a study of the terrorist from Chicago.
Report Post »kickagrandma
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:16pmImmoral as hell, but then that’s Disney, isn’t it???? I think the old man would be sick to death over what his dreams have become.
Notice, please, how satan works: two of the offers are “appeasing to the conscious thought”; one is not. Guess which one of the three is the GOD ONE?
Report Post »cheeze is crust
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:13pmGolly.
Report Post »Amethystmoon
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:08pmThis shouldn’t be legal. You can’t trademark something that 1. you didn’t create and 2. is already owned by something else (i.e. the American government).
Report Post »RockstarRepublic
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 1:49amActually you CAN trademark just about anything….
What you need to remember though is that just by trademarking something doesnt actually mean you own it or the rights to it. Paris Hilton for example can trade mark the phrase “thats hot”, but what happens do you think when she or anyone else tries to uphold that trademark? Nothing. There are tons of empty trademarks out there that cannot be upheld or protected in any court of law. Disney is just wasting their money and time thats all. If anything they will try to tie it to some movie involving animals (seals) and within that context only they can protect it.
Report Post »Psychosis
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:05pmthey didnt support the troops until it was cool to support the troops
can they do this? ………….its like trademarking the happy birthday song……….total bs
legally im not sure, but it is in poor taste
Report Post »Bobj_1960
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:14pmWouldn’t “Seal Team 6” be public domain at he very least?
Report Post »TheGreyPiper
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:22pmActually “Happy Birthday” is under legitimate and *original* copyright, and the owners are owed royalties on any commercial performance of it.
Report Post »Rick300
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:03pmWill Disney be charging a licensing fee for government use??
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:19pmWell he is from Chicago, right?
Report Post »chips1
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:02pmStands to reason. Obama can be played by DUMBO.
Report Post »let us prey
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:20pmStill laughing.
Report Post »bikerr
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:23pmBiden could be Daffy Duck
Report Post »GeorgieJo
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:14pmor GOOFY
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:27pmHillary being played by Cruella de Vil
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:37pmAnthony Weiner as Minnie
Report Post »RepubliCorp
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:59pmgood one………
Report Post »Rick300
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:01pmBad taste…very bad taste.
Report Post »I.Gaspar
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 8:58pmI didn‘t know Disney was part of obama’s “team”.
Report Post »Revere1
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:09pmA Disney cartoon about Bin Laden’s death? Sounds like fun for the whole family. I wonder if they’ll show Obama as the SEAL team leader. http://www.elephantwatcher.com/2011/05/after-bin-laden-should-republicans-be.html
Report Post »V-Forge
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:20pmAs good taste goes this puts them on the bottom. Sorry disney that term belongs to the team not you. You have a lot of nerve to try to reserve that name to make a profit. I personally deny your claim. Pick up a gun and stand a watch with those guys or get the hell away from them.
Report Post »dealer@678
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:22pmHell no its not right. Disney would‘nt make a pimple on a SEAL’s ass
Report Post »cheezwhiz
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:24pmI didn‘t know Disney was part of obama’s “team”.
Report Post »———————-
With the right amount of ‘contributions’
anyone can be part of Obama‘s ’team’.
If Disney promises a %age of profits to Obama+dems+abortion+ Moochelle ‘s food police ,
Obama will personally sign and seal with a kiss the fatwa err..er..EO giving the trademark to Disney
poverty.sucks
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:24pmSea World lost out. Obama has Mickeys ears though.
Report Post »chickenlittle
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 9:49pmWait until they start all their “trademark infringement” lawsuits against any little kids playing ‘soldier.’
Report Post »82dAirborne
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:14pmI dislike this about as much as I hate the burning of the American flag. However it’s part of our system. I won’t be buying any of the products. I won’t buy a “S.E.A.L.” ball cap or tee-shirt from anyone. I didn’t have that training; I didn’t earn the right to wear any of it!
Report Post »I don’t like the fact that the entire U.S. Army now wears berets. I earned my maroon beret. The Rangers the black & Army’ s Special Forces sweated blood for the green beret. To non-military types that may sound shallow or meaningless. I assure you it isn’t. It’s a symbol of accomplishment.
Creestof
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:19pmWasn’t it Disney that hired, supported and defended the pedophile producer/director? The one that made the movie “Powder?”
Report Post »Eric_The_Red_State
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:24pmPoor taste – but I gotta defend free market decisions.
You or I could have trademarked it – and would have probably been able to sell it back to Disney for a bunch of cash.
Report Post »CatB
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:25pmI think this already belongs to the SEAL’s and the Navy .. if Disney wants to “USE” it (not own it) they should have to pay …. and the SEAL’s get to decide. It could be used to help the families of team members lost or injured. But Disney (or anyone else) should not be able to “own” this … it already belongs to the SEAL’s.
Report Post »revel222
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:32pmSeal Team 6 owns it!!! Disney should be denied!!!
Report Post »poverty.sucks
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:34pmDisney will own it so they may sue others for using it.
Report Post »G3L
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:39pmI think this is complete BS. That belongs to SEAL TEAM 6, no other. I will not buy any products because I did not earn the right to wear anything related to any SEAL team. If anyone wants to wear a SEAL tab EARN it. My respects to the SEALS. USMC FORCE RECON!!!!!!
Report Post »GODSAMERICA
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:40pmIf disney wants to try this. Let EVERYONE boycott ANYTHING AND EVERYTHING that has anything to do with disney. We DO have the power through boycotts and things like that to drive a business completely bankrupt no matter who it is or how big they are (or think they are). Maybe we can trademark “American” and anyone with disney (and others) can pay us $1 million for each person to be allowed to call themselves American. True Americans are free to call themselves American at no cost to them, but anyone else has to apply to us to see if they get to use that name for themselves.
Report Post »seeker9
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:48pmRambo – okay. Seal Team 6 – nahh! (And I am a DIS shareholder.)
Report Post »CultureWarriors
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:55pmFrankly, it should not be trademark able as proof of “prior art” is obvious. They did nothing to create or produce the term. It’s ridiculous.
Report Post »Code_Orange
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:57pmYou have to hand it to Disney Group. They represent the best of USA Industrial Job Creators – just like the heroes depicted in Atlas Shrugged. They must not be criticized, regulated or interfered with by any big government czars. Contractors like Disney are innately better and more effective than SEAL teams getting the job done, and they do not receive taxpayer-funded retirement benefits.
Report Post »drattastic
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 10:59pmWhat the hell is wrong with these people.
Report Post »Anarcho Capitalist
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:05pmhttp://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_xEt93X4T1Y&feature=player_embedded#at=248
Report Post »encinom
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:09pmDisney is just asking WWAR (what would Ayn Rand) do? This is just pure capitalism, if you do not support than your must love the commies,
Report Post »101
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:10pmThey have no right to profit from exploiting our military…Old Walt is turning over in his grave, everything Disney sell is MADE IN CHINA F-K them, sell Osama dolls with half the head blown off!
Don’t dis our military!
Report Post »nptden
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:14pmOutrage. That’s a unit patch highly honored by the members who earned to wear it. I’ll never buy another Disney product.
Report Post »Showtime
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:14pmI was not aware that the SEAL Team 6 was Disney’s. I thought it was part of the U.S. Military.
Here‘s another thing that’s not quite right, either.
Report Post »http://shark-tank.net/2011/05/15/14750/
Anyone heard what‘s happening regarding Holder’s approval of the gunrunner program? This is Marco Rubio’s take on it.
Huguenot Descendant
Posted on May 15, 2011 at 11:16pmI can just picture Obama singing about Socialism and Osama singing about death to the infidels.
Report Post »BrownWaterVet
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 12:02am82ndAirborne: I agree with you.
Herobuilders.com, owned by Emil Vicale, has an action figure of Pesident Obama (VERY beefed up) wearing a make belive Seal Team 6 shirt & carrying an assault weapon called Rambamo. Sick.
Report Post »Chachihunts
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 12:45amDisney is all about Obama. Michelle was on the channel at least once promoting her healthy food propaganda.
Report Post »This is another way for a huge company to make money off people who give us the freedom to do these things. It’s not right.
thepatriotdave
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 1:48amI don’t have a big problem with this, but it sure seems dis-respectful for the guys of Team 6. My gut tells me this should be up to the Military to give their permission to Disney.
Volunteers needed for Allen West Project…
Report Post »http://www.americasteapartynews.com/volunteer-to-save-usa.php
banjarmon
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 1:52am@
82dAirborne
Sir your absolutely Right… What you earned with Hard work in the Service is a symbol of your achievement. NO BODY has the privilege to ware it but you, The BEST of the Best!!!.
Thank you for your Service to this Great Country!!
Report Post »RightWrite
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:28amHow could you not know that Disney is an Obama supporter? That is common knowledge.
Report Post »yougottabekidding
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 7:45amDisney lost so much when Walt Disney died.
Report Post »Here they are trying to profit from 911 there is no other way to look at it. They have no skin in the game and they are claiming rights to something they have nothing to do with.
They have no right, this is our right not a private company that is attempting to profit from our hero’s in Seal Team Six.
I screwed up I may be fined for using those words. I guess we are going to have to disban them, they could be fined for having those patches on their arms.Or do we have to pay Disney for ever so we csn use that logo?
old white guy
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 7:50amhow the hell can someone trademark a u.s. military designation?
Report Post »old white guy
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 7:52amwould that mean the u.s. military would have to pay disney to use their own badges?
Report Post »Islesfordian
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 8:00amI really don’t understand how you can have the right to trademark what you did not create. This is as stupid and morally offensive as companies patenting genes that they have “discovered”.
Report Post »NOTALOTTAYITTAYADDA
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 8:41amSeal team six did not represent me is a respectable light, I hope Disney does the same to them.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IxqOESr6Hdw&feature=feedf
Report Post »scjeff
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:28amMichelle Obama is all over the Disney Channels promoting her anti-obesity malarkey. They run the spots about once an hour where she interacts with the kid stars of their shows.
Report Post »Sinista MACE
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 9:45amIs the government lie about this entire charade alright?
Of course not. It’s despicable.
Report Post »VegasGuy
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 12:37pmMy understanding of copyright law is you cannot copyright a common phrase to make it your own. Disney would need to change the spelling to something uniquely their own, e.g. SEEL Teem 6.
Report Post »TEIN
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:38pmIt is part of the Navy, it is not Disney‘s or other’s to own. The title belongs to the soliders who earned it.
Report Post »American Soldier (Separated)
Posted on May 16, 2011 at 2:45pmI’d like to see a Jerry Bruckheimer and Michael Bay make the movie. I definitely don’t want a Disney version.
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