【禁聞】「林來瘋」商機發酵 企業搶註商標

【新唐人2012年2月24日訊】華裔美籍的NBA新起之秀林書豪，最近在NBA掀起了一股旋風，他的市場價值也跟著水漲船高。眼尖的商人早在去年就搶先註冊了「林書豪」商標。林書豪的代理律師帕姆‧迪瑟表示，現在他們已經準備要好好的保護林書豪的知識產權，球迷為他取的「Linsanity」（林來瘋）的外號，林書豪已經申請這個商標的使用權。

在過去兩週的時間，林書豪從一個默默無聞甚至不被看好的板凳球員，搖身一變成為眾所矚目的籃壇巨星，林書豪「瘋」潮不僅帶動了NBA票價飆漲，周邊商機也跟著發酵，網路上近1,000項林書豪相關商品，包括球員卡、球衣等都成為矚目焦點。不過，這樣的熱潮是不是能給林書豪帶來相應的利益，也是大眾關注的熱點。

林書豪在「尼克斯」隊的17號球衣是目前NBA線上商店最暢銷的球衣，跟他相關的各類紀念品也都被球迷搶購一空。各路商家看上了林書豪所帶動的巨大商機，開始販售與林書豪有關的商品。大陸無錫商人虞敏潔更是早在去年就將「林書豪」註冊商標。

體育用品商虞敏潔，憑著經驗判斷，林書豪很可能在不久的將來成為繼姚明之後另一個閃耀世界的華人NBA球星。於是向工商總局商標局遞交了「Jeremy S.H.L 林書豪」的商標申請，分別申請了25和28兩大門類的商標。

這兩項商標究竟有多大的商業價值？

據美國《福布斯》雜誌評估，僅「林書豪」這個名字的價值就約1億元人民幣，虞敏潔卻只花費了4460元。以後林書豪要前往中國發展，想在中國使用「Jeremy S.H.L 林書豪」商標的話，則必須得到這家企業的授權。

2月14號，林書豪在美國提出「Linsanity」商標使用權的申請，使用權涵蓋內衣褲、玩具公仔，飲料以及背包等等。而在林書豪之前，加利福尼亞也有兩位商人搶先註冊了「Linsanity」這個商標。林書豪這一次註冊商標，預示著他已經拿起法律武器保護自己的權益。

同樣問題也發生在美國職籃NBA前超級巨星麥可喬丹（Michael Jordan）身上，喬丹2月22號宣佈，他已經對大陸一家企業提出侵權訴訟。

大陸搶註商標情況氾濫，林書豪有可能拿回他的商標權嗎？

北京「天昊聯合知識產權代理有限公司」張律師表示，國外品牌沒有進入到大陸，被搶註的現象比較普遍，因為中國講的是申請在先原則。

張律師：「如果國外這些品牌，根本沒有進入到中國，他在中國肯定知名度是沒有的，這就導致一個問題就是說，他在國外很有名，但是在中國沒有名的這種商標被搶註了，這種情況下就比較難辦，就是說給他撤銷掉。」

「上海領秀律師事務所」法律服務集團施律師表示，中國盜版盛行，產權人得不到應該有的尊重和利益，主要還是因為法治不健全導致的。

施律師：「只能說是如果他將來濫用這個商標，生產各種假冒偽劣商品或是劣等品的話，然後對林書豪這名字造成傷害的話，這商標造成傷害的話，是可以依法註銷的。」

北京「天昊聯合知識產權代理有限公司」蘇律師也表示，申請商標註冊時，在同類商品中如果沒有相同名稱的註冊，通常都會得到授權，但是如果註冊後沒有實際使用，或將來有人對這個商標提出異議，可以提出無效申請。

蘇律師：「只要是從法律上來說，程序上只要是商標局界定是惡意搶註，那就不存在侵權行為了。但你可能是一年前註冊上的，而且得到了商標局這個商標註冊證，結果會作廢，變成是無效。」

雖然中國已經加入國際知識產權會員，但是因為商業間存在潛規則，很少真正遵守國際規章，施律師表示，如果法治健全，把一切都擺明的話，潛規則就會曬在陽光之下，它就不會再這樣盛行了。

新唐人記者易如、李庭、蕭宇採訪報導。

Linsanity: China’s Preemptive Registration

Chinese-American NBA new star, Jeremy Shu-How Lin,

set off a whirlwind of public interest in basketball.

The stardom hiked Lin’s market value as well.

In 2011, an insightful businessman in China filed

preemptive registration for the trademark “Jeremy SHL”

Pam Deese, Jeremy Lin’s attorney in the US, said they are

prepared to protect Lin’s intellectual property rights.

And Jeremy Lin has filed his own application to register

"Linsanity" as a trademark, the nickname given by his fans.

In the past two weeks, Jeremy Lin drew widespread attention

on his soaring to stardom from an unknown bench player.

The tidal wave of Linsanity boosted NBA ticket prices,

and led to a high-sale of related merchandises.

Nearly 1,000 Lin-related goods are being sold online,

like player cards and jerseys, all attracting public attention.

Whether Lin himself will benefit from this boom

is a wide concern.

Lin's jersey number with the New York Knicks is 17.

This jersey is now a best-seller at the NBA online store.

All kinds of Lin-related souvenirs are snapped up by fans.

Lin’ fancy shapes up as a huge business opportunity.

Early in 2011, Yu Minjie, Wuxi-based businessman

trademarked the term “Jeremy SHL”

As a sporting goods businessman, Yu predicted Jeremy Lin

would be another shining Chinese NBA star, after Yao Ming.

Yu thus filed an application with China’s Trademark Office

to register “Jeremy SHL”, under two categories.

What is the commercial value of the trademark

under these two categories?

The name “Jeremy SHL” alone is worth RMB 100 million,

according to the evaluation of Forbes magazine.

Yet it merely cost Yu Minjie

RMB 4,460 for the registration.

In China Jeremy Lin will have to get Yu’s authorization

before using the trademark name “Jeremy SHL”

On Feb. 14, Jeremy Lin applied in the U.S.

for the trademark “Linsanity”

The filing of “Linsanity” is reported to be used for goods,

such as clothing, toys, beverages, bags, among others.

Before Lin’s own filing, two separate trademark applications

for the same term were made by Californian businessmen.

Jeremy Lin’s application indicates that he resorted

to the law to safeguard his interests.

NBA's top superstar Michael Jordan

faced similar problem.

On Feb. 22, Jordan announced his infringement proceeding

against an enterprise in mainland China.

The preemptive trademark registration in China seems

abusive. Will Jeremy Lin take back his trademark rights?

Zhang, a lawyer from Tee & Howe Intellectual Property

Attorneys, says China adopts first-to-file principle for trademarks’ registration.

In China, preemptive registration of foreign trademarks

is common before brands enter the market, Zhang affirms.

Zhang (lawyer): "These foreign brands certainly aren’t

well-known in China prior to entering China’s market.

This gives rise to a problem. That is, trademarks’ registration

of some world renowned brands are forestalled in China.

This makes it hard to deal with afterwards,

that is to annul the registration."

Shi, lawyer at Shanghai-based No.1 Law Firm,

speaks of widespread piracy in China.

Intellectual property rights cannot be guaranteed.

Shi thinks the reason is due to the unsound rule of law.

Shi (lawyer): "If he abuses the trademark, producing fake

or shoddy goods that harm the goodwill of Jeremy Lin, the registration can be revoked according to the law."

Su, another lawyer of Beijing’ Tee & Howe, says trademark

registration is generally granted if there is no same-term application for a congener commodity.

If it is not used after registration or some demur is raised

in the future, then a petition for invalidation can be filed.

Su (lawyer): "Legally, if the Trademark Office defines it as

a malicious preemptive registration, it’s not an infringement.

But a petition for invalidation may be filed

and the registration will finally be annulled.”

China has joined the International Association

for the Protection of Intellectual Property.

Due to existing hidden business rules, few international

regulations are truly followed in mainland China.

Lawyer Shi says if there is a sound rule of law and everything

is public, hidden rules will not be rampant like they are now.

NTD reporters Yi Ru, Li Ting and Xiao Yu