EAA suing the SOS Brothers beer tent...

Sounds like EAA politely ask them to cease using EAA logo and were told to pound salt.
 
Might have more to do with the logos and bikinis.
 
When I visited the tent 2 years ago it seemed to me from its location that it was not a part of the event.
However, I agree with the EAA's lawsuit, even if their business were obviously not part of Airventure. (full disclaimer I am an EAA member) Their use of someone else's property (copyrighted name) is theft.

I DONT agree with the eminent domain by which the county took land away from the Sosnokis, but I am funny about government stealing from people.

PS if the silly quiz gets in the way of seeing the article, a hack is to quickly click on the first sentence as soon as it appears, copy the page (ctrl-C) and paste it into an email or whatever. (I almost skipped over the article because of the quiz/ad.)
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
When I visited the tent 2 years ago it seemed to me from its location that it was not a part of the event.
However, I agree with the EAA's lawsuit, even if their business were obviously not part of Airventure. (full disclaimer I am an EAA member) Their use of someone else's property (copyrighted name) is theft.
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EAA has had sharp elbows around competing businesses for years. I can see them being grumbly about SOS, but filing a suit? C'mon EAA, take yourselves a bit less seriously.
 
Not really sure what they hope to accomplish other than alienating their members, especially younger people.
 
kyleb said:
Younger people? At Airventure? Snort!
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There’s plenty of us, you just generally won’t find us poking around the booths. Last time I went I was only on the actual grounds for the airshow every day.
 
if this is the kinda BS my membership is being spent on it may be the last year they have my support. I usually don’t go to the SOS tent because I’m too tired to walk there after a day of plane browsing. From the sounds I can hear though it certainly seems to be popular.
 
Grum.Man said:
if this is the kinda BS my membership is being spent on it may be the last year they have my support. I usually don’t go to the SOS tent because I’m too tired to walk there after a day of plane browsing. From the sounds I can hear though it certainly seems to be popular.
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It is very popular. But I can see EAA having its hackles up over the BeerVenture moniker. But it seems like the kind of thing where you ask the SOS brothers if they will take that off of their signs and t-shirts, rather than filing suit. On the other hand, EAA and the SOS brothers have a history, so it may be that the SOS guys simply told EAA "no" and if EAA wanted to push it, court is/was the option.

Still, I think the EAA has bigger fish to fry.
 
kyleb said:
It is very popular. But I can see EAA having its hackles up over the BeerVenture moniker. But it seems like the kind of thing where you ask the SOS brothers if they will take that off of their signs and t-shirts, rather than filing suit. On the other hand, EAA and the SOS brothers have a history, so it may be that the SOS guys simply told EAA "no" and if EAA wanted to push it, court is/was the option.

Still, I think the EAA has bigger fish to fry.
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I get it though I doubt they own the rights to the word Venture. I’m wondering if EAA has a bigger plan to maybe compete against SOS in some form.
 
I love when big companies think they own the rights to things, like the word venture.

I laugh all the way to bank as they throw money at a non problem thing like that. Easiest money we can make.
 
Grum.Man said:
I get it though I doubt they own the rights to the word Venture. I’m wondering if EAA has a bigger plan to maybe compete against SOS in some form.
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Jamie Kirk said:
I love when big companies think they own the rights to things, like the word venture.

...
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I believe the EAA trademarked "AirVenture". They came up with that nonsensical name years ago because they couldn't trademark "Oshkosh".

So how many old timers here (that's anyone over the age of 15 ;) ) tell your friends you're flying to "AirVenture"?

I thought so...:D
 
Clip4 said:
Sounds like EAA politely ask them to cease using EAA logo and were told to pound salt.
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Strikes me that it's about the word "Venture". But I don't think EAA gets sole ownership to that word and there's certainly no one confusing AirVenture with Beer Venture.

It gives every appearance of EAA trying to muscle competition out. SOS is one of the few reasonably priced options and I'm sure EAA wants you to come buy their $15 brats and $25 beers. Ok, I exaggerate. A little.
 
Pilots call it Oshkosh, locals call it EAA. NOBODY calls it AirVenture. I’ll go the show and the SOS tent regardless of what Anybody is calling themselves. Seems like a big ado about nothing.

The whole thing is over EAA not getting a cut like they do from the Ginsu Knife and crap cell phone accessory venders inside the fence.
 
It's always heavy-handed til someone is taking from you, lol!
(watching for future posts from those here who will make a scene out of seemingly minor slights, haha)
 
kyleb said:
No way! I'm 55 and have been the youngest person at Airventure for the last 25 years. Or so it seems.
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First time I went to the airshow I was a starving collage student. Took my 1974 3/4 ton truck (no power steering, no power brakes, 4 speed manual transmission) with a camper top. Bare bones got 15 miles/gal. Had a great time, met folks that invited me over for dinner and beers. That was back in about 1984. Took me another 11 years to get my PPL....:)
 
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Since this thread is worthless without pics I did a google check and found what appears to be some unnamed POA members hydrating before a long flight home.

showthumb.php

showthumb.php
 
EAA did indeed copyright Airventure, as dumb as it is. Gotta have something to put on T shirts. If someone is using their copyrighted name or graphics they have every right to seek redress. My guess is what they really want is a slice of the pie. There’s a reason I don’t sell books at the show.
 
I will say, I tried ‘Rock Your Wings’ beer last Summer, near the ‘Vintage’ area. The beer didn’t pass my taste test, not that I’m all that picky either. I had a few various IPA’s in the cooler, they were much better.

Here’s a recent favorite from Da U.P. of MI.
 

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Actually, the EAA apparently sold their morals years ago, when they decided to market alcohol first to the "VIP" tickets and then to the masses.
This has been a decades long feud between the SOS family and the EAA where the EAA had condemned their property (the EAA will say it was actually Winnebago County that did this, but they wouldn't have acted alone). The SOS farm was located where the forums area is now. The EAA just can't tolerate anybody who makes money on the show that's not them.

I'm failing to see how a federal lawsuit is part of "rather amicable talks."
 
Life’s too short to fight over beer and bikinis. (Low wing vs high isn’t much of a fight, but the low wing/low class/low IQ pilots, bless their hearts.) Anyway, drink good beer and appreciate a ... not sure how best to complete that sentence, but bikini bikini bikini sounds pretty decent, so that’s where I’ll go with it.
 
What I wanna know is...

...HOW THE HELL HAVE I MISSED THIS PLACE?
 
flyingron said:
Actually, the EAA apparently sold their morals years ago, when they decided to market alcohol first to the "VIP" tickets and then to the masses.
This has been a decades long feud between the SOS family and the EAA where the EAA had condemned their property (the EAA will say it was actually Winnebago County that did this, but they wouldn't have acted alone). The SOS farm was located where the forums area is now. The EAA just can't tolerate anybody who makes money on the show that's not them.

I'm failing to see how a federal lawsuit is part of "rather amicable talks."
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Indeed. Gentrification is great...until it happens to you. If I was SOS I'd keep poking that thief that stole my land in the eye.
 
kyleb said:
EAA has had sharp elbows around competing businesses for years. I can see them being grumbly about SOS, but filing a suit? C'mon EAA, take yourselves a bit less seriously.
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I am not an expert in this area of law, but I understand that if they don't take steps to protect their trademark by initiating litigation against a known infringer, they risk losing the trademark.
 
PPC1052 said:
I am not an expert in this area of law, but I understand that if they don't take steps to protect their trademark by initiating litigation against a known infringer, they risk losing the trademark.
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Whether "BeerVenture" infringes or not remains to be seen. I doubt very much that the EAA *EVER* used that mark in commerce, a requirement to have rights. I suspect they registered it with the sole goal of stopping the SOS Bros who were already using it. EAA has been smacked by the courts in the past over attempts to pervert trademark law. The reason "Airventure" as a term exists is because they were told that they could not own "OSHKOSH."

As for whether "Beer Venture" dilutes the Airventure mark, that's a bit stickier. However usually it takes a bit more fame in your mark than "Airventure."
 
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If "banc" isnt "bank" then I'm pretty sure that "beer" isn't "air"
 
To me, it sounds like some pretty boilerplate "cease and desist" strongly worded legal letter stuff. It's pretty common for trademark holders to demonstrate that they are vigorously defending their trademark. I doubt that a seven day beer garden is really causing confusion, but showing a history of consistent vigilance for defending the trademark helps in later trademark disputes. That way when Sun n Fun changes their name to SunVenture, they'll be in a better position to defend their trademark and fend off accusations that the trademark has been genericized, thus loosing intellectual property rights.
 
Let'sgoflying! said:
When I visited the tent 2 years ago it seemed to me from its location that it was not a part of the event.
However, I agree with the EAA's lawsuit, even if their business were obviously not part of Airventure. (full disclaimer I am an EAA member) Their use of someone else's property (copyrighted name) is theft.

I DONT agree with the eminent domain by which the county took land away from the Sosnokis, but I am funny about government stealing from people.

PS if the silly quiz gets in the way of seeing the article, a hack is to quickly click on the first sentence as soon as it appears, copy the page (ctrl-C) and paste it into an email or whatever. (I almost skipped over the article because of the quiz/ad.)
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What’s that story, the Eminent Domain one?
 
luvflyin said:
What’s that story, the Eminent Domain one?
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Winnebago County seized the property adjacent to OSH (property owned by the SOS brothers) and then handed over to EAA so they could expand shop. $800,000 settlement afterwards.
 
EdFred said:
Winnebago County seized the property adjacent to OSH (property owned by the SOS brothers) and then handed over to EAA so they could expand shop. $800,000 settlement afterwards.
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I was gonna bite my tongue, too, but what the hell. The first court that allowed this crap to happen turned this into a country that it was never meant to be. It's nothing short of theft. I get that there will be times when it's necessary for utility lines, roads, etc. But to steal, then turn it over to private enterprise is 100% theft.

We experienced it here several years ago when casinos were legalized in the state and they got MOST of the property owners to sell. The smart ones held out for more $....and the property was seized and given to the casino. I fail to see how it's legal for an investor to hold out for an attractive price, but not for a homeowner. If they wanted to hold out for $10M that should have been their right.

So if we're picking sides, I'm with the SOS brothers.
 
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