Even though, on the whole, he prevailed in his lawsuit against the University of Alabama, sports artist Daniel Moore wants the shutout:
"In a November ruling, Senior District Judge Robert Propst said that Moore's paintings of football players don't infringe on any UA trademark so long as no university symbols or logos are used. However, Propst also said that ... Moore has and will infringe on the UA's copyright when he creates reproductions of his artwork that 'include any University of Alabama football uniforms on mini-prints, mugs, cups, calendars, flags, towels, T-shirts or any other mundane products.'
"Stephen Heninger, Moore's attorney, disagrees. Because Propst ruled that Moore's artwork is protected, that artwork should be able to be transferred to coffee mugs and the like. 'We think it's clear,' Heninger said. 'We own the copyright of the paintings. They're protected, so we have the right to make reproductions. We're appealing to get a clarification.'"
Alabama plays Texas for the national championship Jan. 8.
UPDATE: An important correction from Sergio Muñoz Sarmiento. The national championship game is Jan. 7, not the 8th.
He also likes Texas in the upset. I say the Tide rolls, by at least two touchdowns.
On Moore's appeal, he says "it seems pretty clear cut. If Moore owns the copyrights to his own paintings, and they don’t include any Tide logo or trademarks, then it seems to me he’s in the clear." I'm not so sure about that. When it comes to merchandise (t-shirts, coffee mugs, etc.), it's a much closer call.
