Sportsheets Negotiates Trademark Recognition From Amazon

HUNTINGTON BEACH, Calif.—After months of negotiations, Sportsheets’ trademark will now be recognized by mega online retailer Amazon. Sportsheets reps said the negotiations, which have lasted 18 months, resulted in the trademark recognition on May 28. Sportsheets was awarded Trademark Reg. No. 86087238 in 2013 from the U.S. Government for its Under The Bed Restraint System. Owning the trademark allowed the manufacturer to protect its brand and product name from counterfeiters and the like. But Amazon officials had said the term was “too general,” and until now would not work with the manufacture to remove from its site unauthorized products using the name. “You can’t fault us for our item being a ‘genericization,’ just like you can’t fault the brand Band-Aid for being the common term for a bandage,” said Marketing Director John Turi. “What this means for Sportsheets moving forward is that it will be much easier to go after companies who have violated our trademark. It protects our brand name and products from counterfeiters. This is very important for all our retailers.” For more information, visit Sportsheets.com.