The word Backcountry is now trademarked

[peakbagger]

https://coloradosun.com/2019/10/31/...its-namesake-is-it-bullying-or-just-business/

I guess we need to come up with a new name for this forum.

The boonies

The puckerbrush

The back-country

Considering the broad accepted use, my guess is once someone with deep enough pockets runs its course in court the trademark will be invalidated.

 

[bikehikeskifish]

I read this story earlier this week and wondered if I'd be getting a letter from a lawyer.

Tim

 

[skiguy]

There CEO comments on the situation. https://www.snewsnet.com/gear/backcountry-ceo-breaks-silence-over-trademark-blowup

 

[DayTrip]

That was really disappointing to learn. I've been a huge fan of Backcountry for years now and have had a gearhead for a long time assigned to me. I had no idea they were engaged in such behavior. I'd seen some vague references to the new culture since they were recently acquired but seeing details like this makes me rethink whether or not I want to do business with them going forward.

 

[Stan]

Be careful! The name of this very forum might be in trouble. I use "backcountry" as an adjective, a noun and maybe even a verb but now I have a couple other uses ... a profanity, an adverb e.g. That Backcountry (profanity) is not acting very backcountryly (adverb) and certainly lack backcountry (noun) ethics in their so-called backcountry (adjective) business plan. I notice, too, that "backcountry" is now noted as a misspell, suggesting the world wide web has signed on for the commercial benefits of internet retail trade.

 

[TCD]

Big holding company and it's lawyers took over in 2016. Thought they could get away with this behavior. Got caught by the market. Now out on the apology tour.

"We were never holistically trying to own the term 'backcountry." Actually, that's exactly what you were trying to do.

"What’s hard is how we’re being portrayed in the market. It’s tough to tell our story because we have different confidentiality agreements, but what I will tell you is what’s being said is not reflective of how we behave in the market..."
Welcome to retail. Your story is what the market thinks it is, not what you think it is.

Hopefully a lesson was actually learned here...