Why are Ravens’ star quarterback Lamar Jackson and Cowboys legend Troy Aikman fighting over No. 8?
The Ravens’ star quarterback is set to take on a legendary signal caller, however, their contest won’t be played out on the field, but rather in a courtroom.
While it’s not uncommon for players to place a great deal of importance on their jersey number, it’s not every day you see them battling it out via legal means to secure the use of the number they like. Yet, that appears to be the case when it comes to the Ravens’ present star and a legendary player from the Cowboys’ past.
Lamar Jackson & Troy Aikman are in a patent war
According to reports this week, Baltimore Ravens quarterback Lamar Jackson and former Dallas Cowboys quarterback Troy Aikman are set for a showdown in the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office. It is understood that the Ravens QB filed a challenge against a trademark that was filed by Dallas’ former star in relation to the jersey number that they share: The No. 8.
As per reports, Aikman owns and has subsequently applied for several trademarks featuring the word “EIGHT”, more specifically on apparel and bags, something that Jackson’s legal team reportedly argues is “likely to cause confusion, or cause mistake, or to deceive” the public when it comes to establishing whether they are purchasing a Troy Aikman T-shirt or Lamar Jackson T-shirt. Again, it should be noted that Aikman who works in tandem with FL101, currently has several products that feature “EIGHT” including a light beer brand.
Jackson on the other hand, has his own apparel brand known as Era 8 which has been producing a number of products for several years including T-shirts that only feature the numeral 8 itself. To that end, the 27-year-old has since reportedly applied for a multitude of trademarks in connection with the number, the large majority of which feature the “Era 8″ name. Interestingly, this is not the first time that Jackson has been involved in a battle connected to his clothing company. Back in 2020, he sued Amazon after he allegedly found them to be selling unlicensed merchandise that featured his registered trademarks. As for where his fight with Aikman will end up, for the moment we can only watch and wait.