Anderson's Business Law and the Legal Environment 22th Edition by David Twomey,Marianne Jennings

Exercise 5

Sullivan sold t-shirts with the name Boston Marathon and the year of the race imprinted on them. The Boston Athletic Association (BAA) sponsors and administers the Boston Marathon and has used the name Boston Marathon since 1917. The BAA registered the name Boston Marathon on the Principal Register. In 1986, the BAA entered into an exclusive license with Image, Inc., to use its service mark on shirts and other apparel. Thereafter, when Sullivan continued to sell shirts imprinted with the name Boston Marathon, the BAA sought an injunction. Sullivan's defense was that the general public was not being misled into thinking that his shirts were officially sponsored by the BAA. Without this confusion of source, he contended, no injunction should be issued. Decide. [Boston Athletic Ass'n v Sullivan, 867 F2d 22 (1st Cir)]