2008 Woodie Awards
Illini Media
WPGU
buzz
Illio
TechnographJudge dismisses Chief Illiniwek logo lawsuit
By By Caryn Rousseau, The Associated Press
Posted: 7/8/08 Section: News
CHICAGO - A lawsuit filed against the University of Illinois board of trustees by a graphic artist who created the circular, orange-and-blue Chief Illiniwek logo, then sold it for $210, was dismissed by a federal judge on Monday.
Champaign graphic artist Jack Davis created the logo 28 years ago and sold it to the university in 1980. The university stopped using the controversial mascot in March 2007, saying it would retain ownership of the logo.
Davis filed suit in U.S. District Court in Urbana against the board in December, requesting control of the logo. U.S. District Judge Michael McCuskey ruled Monday that he court lacked jurisdiction in the case.
University spokesman Tom Hardy said Monday evening that the school was satisfied with the judge's decision.
"We presently control the license and continue to do so," Hardy said. "We're exploring certain uses for it that would not be connected with collegiate athletics."
Davis did not immediately return messages left Monday at his Champaign office and home by The Associated Press.
Attorneys for Davis have said he had the right to resume control of the logo after the university decided to stop using the chief's image, name and regalia. The school did away with the Chief Illiniwek mascot after being sanctioned by the NCAA.
Davis is a 1969 Illinois graduate. His logo depicts the stern-faced chief in blue and white, surrounded by a blue and orange headdress.
The logo, licensed to makers of T-shirts and other merchandise, generates hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for the university, school officials have said. When the university announced it planned to retain rights to the logo, however, it said it intended to phase out chief-related merchandise by the end of the year.
The university got rid of the mascot after two years of NCAA sanctions and two decades of turmoil. Some American Indians and other activists saw Chief Illiniwek as demeaning, while supporters maintained the chief was an honorable mascot.
The NCAA agreed the chief was demeaning and banned the university from hosting postseason sporting events; those sanctions ended with the decision to retire the mascot.
Champaign graphic artist Jack Davis created the logo 28 years ago and sold it to the university in 1980. The university stopped using the controversial mascot in March 2007, saying it would retain ownership of the logo.
Davis filed suit in U.S. District Court in Urbana against the board in December, requesting control of the logo. U.S. District Judge Michael McCuskey ruled Monday that he court lacked jurisdiction in the case.
University spokesman Tom Hardy said Monday evening that the school was satisfied with the judge's decision.
"We presently control the license and continue to do so," Hardy said. "We're exploring certain uses for it that would not be connected with collegiate athletics."
Davis did not immediately return messages left Monday at his Champaign office and home by The Associated Press.
Attorneys for Davis have said he had the right to resume control of the logo after the university decided to stop using the chief's image, name and regalia. The school did away with the Chief Illiniwek mascot after being sanctioned by the NCAA.
Davis is a 1969 Illinois graduate. His logo depicts the stern-faced chief in blue and white, surrounded by a blue and orange headdress.
The logo, licensed to makers of T-shirts and other merchandise, generates hundreds of thousands of dollars a year for the university, school officials have said. When the university announced it planned to retain rights to the logo, however, it said it intended to phase out chief-related merchandise by the end of the year.
The university got rid of the mascot after two years of NCAA sanctions and two decades of turmoil. Some American Indians and other activists saw Chief Illiniwek as demeaning, while supporters maintained the chief was an honorable mascot.
The NCAA agreed the chief was demeaning and banned the university from hosting postseason sporting events; those sanctions ended with the decision to retire the mascot.
The Daily Illini encourages on-topic discussion through article commenting on its articles and blogs. It is our policy not to delete any comments based upon political or ideological point of view. However, we reserve the right to remove comments that are abusive, off-topic or use excessive foul language.
The posting of copyrighted material, including any and all content for which you are not the author, is illegal under Federal intellectual property laws. Such activity will not be tolerated. Comments containing copyrighted material will be removed, and continued violation of copyright law is grounds for being banned completely from commenting on DailyIllini.com.
If you feel any post meets these conditions or merits review, please e-mail our editors at meonline@dailyillini.com.
Be the first to comment on this story