NBA TEAM SEEKS TO STIFLE SUPERFAN AND STOP USE OF "CLIPPER" MARK
With the arrival of new star players Chris Paul and deAndre Jordan, coinciding with the continued rise of mega-star Blake Griffin, the once hapless Los Angeles Clippers have a new identity ("Lob City") and a rekindled fan base. Once the laughingstock of all sports franchises, the Clips find themselves leading the Pacific Division of the NBA's Western Conference as of the date of this post (a half game over the Los Angeles Lakers), playing an exciting brand of basketball that's the talk of the League. In fact, Clipper fans have boldly declared that their beloved team is now THE team of Los Angeles.
(As a long time Lakers fan, I scoff at this notion. Hang some banners and get your own arena before making such ridiculous statements.)
This week, the Clippers are making news off the court. The team has become embroiled in a controversy with its most visible fan, Darrell Bailey, known to Clipper Nation as "Clipper Darrell." The team wants Clipper Darrell to go back to being just Darrell and drop the "Clipper" mark from his moniker.
After the jump, as a sports fan, and intellectual property litigator, I will discuss this burgeoning dispute between the club and its superfan and whether Lob City is better served enjoying its most visible fan's support instead of stifling it.