The Facts: N.C. State has sent out a cease and desist letter to Loyola University on the further use of the Wolfpack as their mascot. While N.C. State has used the term since 1947, and Loyola’s yearbooks show their use of the term since 1937, N.C. State has trademark ownership of the term since 1983. Loyola’s newspaper, The Maroon, explains the action against their mascot is unfair and unnecessary.
In Friday’s edition of Loyola University’s newspaper, The Maroon, the editorial topic reads “Fighting over mascot name unnecessary.” While the editorial seems to have accurate points, the truth of the matter is this action is necessary to prevent any future complications between our two schools. Trademark rights are meant to protect the name and symbol of any institution. Loyola and N.C. State should come to an agreement to clarify each others’ mascots and move past the issue to protect both schools. We are the Wolfpack and we’ll fight to keep it that way.
At N.C. State we have an entire department devoted to the preservation of the Wolfpack name, and all the merchandising that comes with it. N.C. State received roughly $186 million from its Sales and Services, including merchandising of the N.C. State Wolfpack, nearly 15 percent of the total revenue budget in the 2010-2011 school year. If other universities begin to use the Wolfpack name as their own without clarifying the distinction, it could result in a decrease of these sales, which is the last thing we need at this University.
While Loyola’s The Maroon discusses colleges that have encounter this same issue, what it neglects to mention is N.C. State, as the trademark owner of “the Wolfpack,” is bound by federal law to report and take action on any other university which uses their name. If not, N.C. State could lose their rights, thus losing the ownership of the Wolfpack and the merchandising that comes with is—a $186 million loss. Loyola, a small private institution has no need for this type of revenue. The irony of a Jesuit school with a wolf named Havoc for their mascot seems to be a symbol they wouldn’t want associated with their school.
This is not the first time N.C. State has had to deal with duplicate mascots. A year ago, the same letter was sent to the University of Nevada’s athletics department. The schools came to an agreement, because of the nature Nevada used the mascot, and Nevada merely had to change their Wolfpack to the Nevada Wolfpack for clarification. The same result could come from this matter with Loyola and clear this up quickly. It shouldn’t be that hard.
The two schools are currently in discussion of the necessary actions to move forward with this issue. As long as Loyola use the mascot in a non-merchandising way and merely as a promotional for their school the can keep their beloved Havoc the Wolf mascot. However if they disagree, their Wolfpack could very well become extinct, because the Wolfpack from N.C. State are not afraid of going on the prowl.
