The Houston Cougars have decided to move forward with using light blue alternative uniforms for their sports teams, despite receiving a cease-and-desist letter from the NFL claiming that the design was too similar to the Houston Oilers trademark. The university sent a letter to the NFL last month informing them of their decision to continue with the jerseys. Athletic director Chris Pezman defended the choice, stating that they have a defensible position and that they have reviewed everything and come to the conclusion to proceed with the jerseys.
The Cougars football team originally wore the light blue jerseys on September 2 as a tribute to “H-Town Pride.” The NFL sent a legal notice to the school claiming that the jerseys were too similar to the Oilers’ “Luv Ya Blue” era, whose rights are owned by the Tennessee Titans. Despite this, Pezman stated that the university is working on a new design that still pays respect to the city’s football history. The NFL has not responded to the university’s letter as of yet, but school officials are giving them two to three weeks to respond.
The issue of the light blue jerseys began when the Cougars football team first wore them in September and received backlash from the NFL. The league claimed that the university was attempting to capitalize on the popularity of the NFL and the Titans, which violated their intellectual property rights. The university is working on a new design to address this issue while still paying homage to the city’s football history. The exact timetable for the release of these new jerseys has not been finalized.
Despite the legal challenges from the NFL, the Houston Cougars are moving forward with their plans to use light blue alternative uniforms for their sports teams. Athletic director Chris Pezman remains confident in their decision and believes they have a defensible position. The university has informed the NFL of their plans to proceed with the jerseys and are awaiting a response from the league. Despite the controversy surrounding the original jerseys, the Cougars are working on a new design that will still honor the city’s football history.
The university’s decision to continue with the light blue jerseys comes after months of legal issues with the NFL surrounding the use of the Houston Oilers trademark. The league claimed that the jerseys were too similar to the Oilers’ trademark and violated their intellectual property rights. Despite this, the Cougars remain committed to using the jerseys and are working on a new design to address the NFL’s concerns while still paying respect to the city’s football history. The timeline for the release of these new jerseys has not been finalized, but the university is moving forward with their plans.
