KCBS teams w/ the same name...

[Weiss Mountain Smoke]

I was checking the KCBS website for results from this past weekend and noticed the results from a comp down in AL had another team competing called The Grateful Pig. Sure enough I looked into it some more and found that there is in fact another team registered with KCBS under that name .

A search on the KCBS website brings up our team, but we can't be sure who was registered first . Anyone had any experience with this sort of thing before? I was thinking of sending a note to KCBS about the issue but thought I'd check with you folks before hand to see if you had any wisdom to share...any thoughts?

Thanks in advance.

[mremus]

I had the same issue with a team name we came up with. we competed under it and after the comp I got a call from KCBS suggesting that we change it due to another tame already using it.

[CBQ]

There isn't really an official source, but bbqteamnames.com is trying to be a team name registry. If your team name is on the www.kcbs.us profile and on bbqteamnames.com, you could make a good case that your team "owns" the team.

I will not be discussing competition teams that happen to have the same name as one Chatty Farker on the Brethren.

[Squeeze]

That was actually the name of my first team in 2005...in Alabama as well....don't know who the other Grateful Team is.....still a great name I think and wear my shirt often....Good Luck

[Big Mike's BBQ]

i had the same issue and contacted KCBS and they said that it does happen. most likely the other team is not registered with KCBS. If you are a KCBS member and have your team name registered with them, they will recognize you.


Big Mike

[Finney]

That bbqteamnames.com is just a way for Ray Basso to make another $10. It really means nothing. If your team name is registered with the KCBS, then you are that team as far as the KCBS is concerned. Other santioning bodies may or may not agree.
If the name really means a lot to you, look into trademarking it. But you'll have to pay the legal fees and prove that you were using it before the other them(s), and then you'll have to spend the time (and money) 'protecting' the name.

[The Pickled Pig]

As one who is ultra sensitive to duplicate team names and wishes KCBS would issue unique team numbers, I can sympathize. How about adding a state identifier to the end of your team name (i.e., The Grateful Pig MD, or The Grateful Pig of MD)?

I have talked to several folks who have received feedback from KCBS that their team name is a duplicate and that 1) they need to alter it or 2) since they were first they could keep it so it appears to me that someone at the office is paying attention to the problem.

Hmm, which pickled pig are you ? Just kidding.....I know the feeling....we are Desperados Barbecue and Catering Company and of course there is Desperados BBQ and Rib Company out of Hinkley Ohio.....I had never heard of them before we started vending so the crossover was unintentional...sometimes people think it's on purpose but usually not......a company I was affiliated with used the marketing phrase "business of barbecue" on a regular basis and it's now affiliated with another bbq business....and I'm positive it was unintentional as well. Probably best to use the state name or even a II after the name.........as for KCBS, it will probably become first come first served.....unless of course you trademark and raise a ruckus about it.

[Divemaster]

That's one of the reasons that we are Trademarking our name. I have also actually spent the $10 for Ray to register us. Based on a document I found on the KCBS site for new teams, they 'recommend' that you check Ray's site to insure that the name isn't already taken. I did find it interesting that they said nothing about checking their own site...

As for protecting our name, one of our team members is a Federal Judge...

[Lake Dogs]

Looks like we're gonna need a NBBQL; National BBQ League. :-)

Trademarking seems the only sure route to making certain it's YOURS.

[Merl]

Originally Posted by Finney

That bbqteamnames.com is just a way for Ray Basso to make another $10. It really means nothing. If your team name is registered with the KCBS, then you are that team as far as the KCBS is concerned. Other santioning bodies may or may not agree.
If the name really means a lot to you, look into trademarking it. But you'll have to pay the legal fees and prove that you were using it before the other them(s), and then you'll have to spend the time (and money) 'protecting' the name.

Finney you are correct. Plus from the KCBS team name section:
Official Team Bio/Team of Year Disclaimer*
Please remember that the team names listed below are provided by our members to KCBS. Each team listed has at least one KCBS membership tied to that team name. No team names outside of our membership base are listed below. If you are a member of KCBS and wish to add your team name to this list, then you can use this Official KCBS Team Registry as the first place to start. Once you find that your team name is not in the KCBS database, you can submit your name request to the KCBS office. KCBS will review your request and add your team name with your membership information into our system. Except for the member’s name and team name, the accuracy of the data is based on information provided by the member listed. Therefore, KCBS cannot guarantee all the information shown.

KCBS does not have the legal right to grant exclusive use of any name, trade name or trademark. KCBS however does ask its members to use an identifier for use by KCBS, in order that we do not have teams with the same name or confusing names, in our “Team of the Year” program. KCBS assumes no liability for duplicate named teams, and does not have the right to enforce any rights between teams with similar names.

[Divemaster]

Merl,

I don't think that anyone is asking KCBS to protect a team name that is already in use. I just found it interesting that in the document Your First Cookoff found on the KCBS site, you don't even recommend that a new team look in the KCBS Bio's.

Choosing a Team Name
You’ll need a team name, so get together with your teammates and agree on one.

There are many team names already in use, so check on the internet at

www.bbqteamnames.com to be sure you aren’t picking something already being used by someone else. Be creative and have fun in picking your team name, but be considerate of other who may be in attendance at the cookoff. There will be families and children there, so you probably don’t want a team name that causes a child to turn to his parents and say ‘Mommy? What’s a (blank)?”

Above and beyond Rays site and the KCBS Bio's, there are many other ways to check if a team name is already in use. The simplest is a Goggle search.

[Alexa RnQ]

FYI to the people who registered the "Rhythm And Q" piggyback: Ain't nobody gonna be able to spell it.

[River City Smokehouse]

This is happenig with me right now. Someone from KS has started using my name and KCBS allowed it. The only difference in the names is theirs has BBQ on the end. I know it's just a matter of time before there's a problem.

[KC_Bobby]

Was Ray Basso once a board member?