Read this.
Rushmore Photo & Gifts sued by Sturgis Motorcycle Rally Inc.
The original name for the summer motorcycle races in Sturgis was "Black Hills Motor Classic." Eventually it became, simply, "Sturgis." That was not because some group of people decided to make it so; it was because it just happened.
Seeing this, a group of people decided to do what no one can do under trademark law: they decided to trademark the name of a city. I think Rushmore Photo will win. I think it should.
Strangely, the newspaper story veers off to general Sturgis Rally prospects. The crowd is aging; youngsters aren't becoming Harley riders in the numbers their parents and grandparents (the current rally crowd) did. Who wants to do what their parents did for fun?
Sturgis is on its way back to becoming a cowtown on I-90.
5 comments:
I don't know what will become of the City of Sturgis but I do agree that the rally will fade. In my lifetime it has evolved to a small specialty event--I actually attended some motorcycle races in 1972. Not much else besides those races was going on except for law enforcement generated rumors about imminent gang activity. Beginning in the 80s I saw entrepreneurs recognize and act upon the marketability of the rally. I have been thinking for a few years that the marketability will fade and I will see the rally once again become a relatively small event wiht appeal to a specialty crowd. I could well be wrong because those entrepreneurs are pretty savvy.
I meant to say in the second sentence that in my lifetime it has evolved from (not to) a small specialty event.
It was Bob Newland's genius in promoting the Buffalo Chip Gazzette that made the rally the humongous event that it is today.
It will be the bloodsuckers (high room rates, taxes and overzealous cops) that will suck the life out of the rally.
Ray Elliott
good eye, Ray. The opening of the Deadwood Mt. Grand is good for the Rally which may fade in the number of participants but the money will still be spent. It's all good: make some money then run like Hell; the Hills are broken anyway.
Thank You Larry,
I have always believed in revisionist history.
Ray Elliott
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