NBA Logo Legal in NFHS?
 

We had our last chapter meeting tonight and the topic of headbands/wristbands came up (again! :rolleyes: ). When reading the rule our President made the statement that the NBA logo was ok because it was a trademark. Rule 3-6 states that:

"One visible manufacturer's logo/trademark/reference or school logo/mascot is permitted on the compression shorts, sweaterbands and headband..."

His point was that the "/" separates each item and therefore the NBA logo is legal as it is a trademark. This isn't the way I've understood the rule and am sure I've seen something specifically stating the NBA logo is not approved for NFHS play. Anybody else remember seeing something stating that specifically? I don't necessarily agree with the way he's reading the rule and would like some clarification.

Okay, let me get this straight. Your president is giving you permission to ignore something that is completely immaterial to the game itself, and you're trying to find a reason to contradict him?

I mean, you don't think there are enough fashion police duties already?

I'm all for the rules of uniformity, but I don't see the big deal here.

The NBA is not a manufacturer, so the logo is not legal.

And fellow posters, he didn't say he wanted to fight his commissioner's ruling, he said he wanted clarification.

I read it as Manufacturer's logo, manufacturer's trademark, or manufacturer's reference. Otherwise, "reference" is too vague and would virtually allow anything that isn't obscene.

The ruling is that they are legal when he officiates in his organization. How much more of a clarification does he need?

Both begin with letter N?

I don't know, maybe the test answer clarification? Or the working a regional play-off in another district's gym clarification? Or the I just want to make sure that this a local thing clarification? Or the I don't want to pass on bad information to a brand new official clarification?

I have to agree. I do not see this as a rule that explicitly outlaws an NBA logo. I think the outlawing of the NBA logo is more of a personal interpretation rather than anything the NF has been explicit in making illegal.

Peace

No - they are not legal.

The / is not a separator -- it means that those words are interchangeable. Look at the second part of the sentence -- "school logo/mascot" -- that obviously means "school logo or school mascot" -- not *any* mascot.

"manufacturer's logo/trademark/reference" = "manufacturer's logo or manufacturer's trademark or manufacturer's reference"

That all being said... This is not a big deal and I wouldn't get hung up on it. Also, when in Rome...

Brad hit it with the "or" equality. "/" generally means "or" and the NBA logo is a trademark, made by some manufacturer. Then Nike swoosh is also a trademark. At a camp in MI, I was told it was legal.

Yes, it means "or", but manufacturer's still modifies each of the words... The NBA is not a manufacturer, so the NBA headbands are technically not legal.

Agreed.

iirc, NCAAW has a specific interp on this.

Official NBA headbands are made by "For Bare Feet" - I know this because according to the tag on the socks I just got in the mail, they're the only company liscensed to make "NBA Logo Socks, Sweatbands, and other accessories."

So the NBA logo on a headband is not a manufacturer's logo. - to backup Brad's point.

But their marketing department says they "manufacture excitement"!

Agree, too. The NBA is not a manufacturer. They hire manufacturers to put their trademark on their products. But they are not a manufacturer. That makes the logo illegal.

Does that mean that Nike headbands are also illegal because Nike doesn't manufacture them either? I believe that they buy them from subcontractors.