A former employee has filed a lawsuit against the New York Jets and the NFL, seeking unspecified damages for designing the team’s logo from 1978 to 1997. Jim Pons, who worked as the Jets’ film and video director, claims he created the iconic logo featuring an italicized design with a jet extending from the “J.”
The issue came to light when the Jets decided to elevate their “Sack Exchange” throwback uniforms to full-time status in April, reintroducing a slightly modified version of the logo. Pons expressed his surprise at the logo’s resurgence, stating, “It was all a huge surprise. It came from out of nowhere. I had no idea they were even thinking about it, nor did I know that it was that popular with the Jets fans.”
Pons further shared his pride in the logo’s enduring popularity, mentioning, “They told me the fans demanded we go back to the old logo, to my logo. So really, that’s wonderful. I’m very happy about that, very proud of that.” However, his stance has since shifted, with Pons now claiming ownership of the logo’s rights, stating that he designed it outside the scope of his job and is entitled to compensation.
Alongside seeking unspecified damages, Pons is requesting the judge to revoke the Jets’ trademark of the logo and prohibit its use on uniforms or merchandise without his consent. In response, the Jets issued a statement to the New York Post, dismissing the lawsuit as “baseless and without merit,” citing the logo’s registration with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for nearly five decades.
This legal battle over a team logo is not unprecedented in the NFL. In a similar case, the Baltimore Ravens had to alter their logo in 1999 after a security guard, Frederick Bouchat, sued them for copyright infringement. Bouchat’s original design featured a gold shield with a “B” and wings, submitted via fax to the Maryland Stadium Authority. Despite seeking over $10 million in damages, Bouchat did not receive monetary compensation as it was determined that the Ravens did not directly profit from the infringement.
The dispute highlights the complexities surrounding intellectual property rights in professional sports, where the origins and ownership of iconic logos can lead to legal challenges and financial implications for teams and designers alike.