“Tebowing”: The Rightful Intellectual Property of Tim Tebow

“Tebowing” is a common trend that most have heard of and many have acted out.  For those of you who aren’t familiar with “Tebowing”, it is the act of kneeling on one knee with your fist on your forehead.  It was started by professional NFL player, Tim Tebow, during football games to honor God.  “Tebowing” caught on fairly quickly.  Before we knew it, people were “Tebowing” everywhere, including at school, parties, and malls.

However, if you plan on “Tebowing,” be careful.  You may have to pay up!  Apparently, Tim Tebow has trademarked both the term “Tebowing” along with the pose.

Why is Tim Tebow Trademarking “Tebowing?”

According to the latimes, Tebow did not trademark “Tebowing” for financial gain, but rather “to make sure that its integrity is protected.”  He wants to guarantee that his football prayer is not used in a way to mock prayer and religion for a commercial gain.

What is a Trademark?

A trademark is used to distinguish one product from another.  It can be a logo, name, word, phrase, or symbol.  Once you get a legal trademark, and another person infringes on your rights to that trademark, you may sue them in federal court, seek damages, and get an injunction against them to make them stop using your intellectual property.  So, by trademarking the term “Tebowing”, Tim Tebow can sue anyone who uses the term in a way in which he disapproves.

To learn more about trademarks, click here.  For more information about intellectual property law, contact an intellectual property attorney near you.