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The U.S. Patent and Trademark Office has canceled the Redskins' trademarks. The petitioners, consisting of five Native Americans, sought to cancel the trademarks based on a section of the Trademark Act that "prohibits registration of marks that may disparage persons or bring them into contempt or disrepute."

WASHINGTON – The U.S. Patent Office ruled Wednesday that the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled. The 2-1 ruling comes after a campaign to change the name has gained momentum over the past year. The team doesn't immediately lose trademark protection and is allowed to retain it during an appeal.

WASHINGTON (AP) -- The U.S. Patent Office ruled Wednesday that the Washington Redskins nickname is "disparaging of Native Americans" and that the team's federal trademarks for the name must be canceled. The 2-1 ruling comes after a campaign to change the name gained momentum over the past year. The team doesn't immediately lose trademark protection and is allowed to retain it during an appeal, which is likely. Redskins owner Dan Snyder has refused to change the team's name, citing tradition, but there has been growing pressure including statements in recent months from President Barack Obama, lawmakers of both parties and...

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has canceled the Washington Redskins trademark registration, calling the football team’s name “disparaging to Native Americans.” The landmark case, which appeared before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, was filed on behalf of five Native Americans. It was the second time such a case was filed.

The United States Patent and Trademark Office has canceled the Washington Redskins trademark registration, calling the football team’s name “disparaging to Native Americans.” The landmark case, which appeared before the Trademark Trial and Appeal Board, was filed on behalf of five Native Americans. It was the second time such a case was filed.

At the annual meeting of The Central Atlantic Conference of the United Church of Christ on Saturday, June 14, a resolution was passed to pressure the National Football League and the Washington Redskins to change the team’s name and refrain from using any images, mascots, or behaviors that are demeaning to Native American cultures or peoples, according to a report in Indian Country Today. This resolution calls for members to do more than just speak out against the use of the name Redskins. It calls for a complete boycott the football team.

A Baytown boy, who is fighting the same kind of cancer as Texans player David Quessenberry, gives the athlete some advice. Jake Daniel, 7, is a non-Hodgkin lymphoma survivor who decided to cheer on his favorite player battling the same cancer via YouTube. The brave third-grader’s viral video gives tips and advice on how to make light of the situation and cope with the sickness. Daniel’s tips include to keep praying, keep your head up, never give up, eat lots of Jell-O when you get mouth sores and to always flirt with the nurses. “Good luck, buddy,” Jake said in...

Chuck Noll, the Hall of Fame coach who led the Steelers to four Super Bowls in the 1970s, died Friday at the age of 82, according to numerous reports out of Pittsburgh. According to the Pittsburgh Tribune Review, Noll's wife, Marianne, found him unresponsive at 9:45 p.m. ET. She called 911, and paramedics pronounced him dead at 9:55 p.m. Noll had stayed out of the public eye in recent years with an illness that had been undisclosed.

Native Americans are sending a loud message to the Washington Redskins. A northern California tribe paid for a commercial to air in seven major U.S. cities during halftime of Tuesday's NBA Finals game, their latest plea for the NFL team to change its “racist” name and mascot.

In order to deliver a Super Bowl, the NFL wants free luxury hotel rooms, police escorts and tax exemption from the host city. A leaked report reveals the league's 153 pages of requests for the 2018 Super Bowl in Minneapolis. Two years ago, the Minnesota State Legislature and the city of Minneapolis were ready to walk away from a plan to provide approximately $500 million to Vikings owner Zygi Wilf to pay more than half the costs a new stadium. It took a veiled threat to move the team to Los Angeles and a dramatic last-minute lobbying campaign from NFL...

If you don't know your Roman numerals, the Super Bowl can be a confusing time. However, no one will be confused when Super Bowl L kicks off after the 2015 season because for one year only, the NFL will be making the switch from Roman numerals to standard numbers. That's right: Super Bowl L will be Super Bowl 50. The first-regular numbered Super Bowl will air on Feb. 7, 2016 on CBS.

Dan Marino has sued the NFL, claiming that playing professional football left him suffering from concussion-related injuries, Nathan Fenno reports for the Los Angeles Times. The lawsuit was filed in U.S. District Court in Philadelphia last week, according to the Times. Fourteen other players joined Marino in the suit.

The owners of the Washington Redskins, NFL and Senator Elizabeth (Herring) Warren have come to a compromise in renaming the team. The new team name, effective this fall, will be: Washington Red Herrings. Senator Warren, a princess in the Red Herring tribe of Massachusetts, suggested the Red Herring name instead of the racist Redskins moniker. Senator Warren stated that the Red Herring tribe had a proud heritage going all the way back to the original settlement of the country. Chief Herring Bone and his band were present and participated in the first Thanksgiving festivities. The tribe invented salted pumpkin seeds...

There is a groundswell of pressure to change the Washington Redskins' team name, which some argue is offensive, a movement that gained some steam with a letter signed by 50 U.S. senators calling for action. The letter referred to the Redskins' name as being an example of "racism" and "bigotry" and managed to make a connection to the NBA fiasco with outgoing Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling. This prompted a reaction from the Redskins. Team president Bruce Allen countered swiftly with a response to Sen. Majority Leader Harry Reid in a letter of his own. The theme of Allen's...

The Washington Redskins responded Saturday to Senate Democrats saying the nickname is a racial slur and must be changed, saying it is “respectful” to Native Americans and suggesting the lawmakers don’t have all of the facts. In a letter to Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, team President Bruce Allen wrote: “Our use of ‘Redskins’ as the name of our football team for more than 80 years has always been respectful of and shown reverence toward the proud legacy and traditions of Native Americans.” […] The three-page letter—titled “The Truth about the Redskins’ Name and Logo”—references research that “the term ‘Redskins’...

D.C. rapper WaleWale told his 3.6 million Twitter followers Friday that Sen. Harry Reid’s recent comments on the Washington Redskins‘ name was just his way of bringing attention to himself. Wale, whose real name is Olubowale Victor Akintimehin, said that Mr. Reid was “sketchy” since he once made comments about then-Sen. Barack Obama’s lack of “negro dialect” in the run-up to the 2008 election. “Anybody been followin the Senator Reid Stuff?” the musician tweeted. “Senator Reid got a lot to say about other ppl bein racist . But I did a lil research . He sketchy. … Basically he [trying...

His voice cracking with emotion, Baltimore Ravens running back Ray Rice acknowledged Friday that he “failed miserably” and apologized for the actions that led to his arrest on assault charges. Rice was arrested following a Feb. 15 altercation in Atlantic City, in which he allegedly struck fiancee Janay Palmer. The couple married in late February, and both went to the stage at the team training complex for their first public comment since the arrest. “I failed miserably, but I wouldn’t call myself a failure because I’m working my way back up,” Rice said. Rice was accepted Tues­day into a diversion...

(Reuters) - Lawyers for O.J. Simpson submitted a bulky document requesting a new trial for the former NFL star in an attempt to have his 2008 armed-robbery conviction overturned, court officials said on Thursday. The attorneys for Simpson, who is not eligible for parole until 2017, filed the opening brief in his December 2013 appeal before a midnight-Wednesday deadline, said Nevada Supreme Court spokesman Michael Sommermeyer. The document came in at 19,993 words, well over the 14,000 word limit, along with a request to exceed the word count because of the complexity of the case. Before the brief can be...

Letters signed by 50 U.S. senators urging the league to change the Washington Redskins name were sent on Thursday to NFL commissioner Roger Goodell. The senators draw a parallel between the NBA's no-tolerance policy regarding the racist comments made by Los Angeles Clippers owner Donald Sterling and asks the NFL to act similarly. Redskins owner Daniel Snyder has been steadfast in his stance that he will not change his team's nickname. "Today, we urge you and the National Football League to send the same clear message as the NBA did: that racism and bigotry have no place in professional sports,"...

Actor Terry Crews used a very loaded word to describe his former employer, the NFL. “There is this thing where the team kind of looks at [itself] as your father,” Crews said in an interview with Sports Illustated Now. “And it’s kind of weird, because it’s like ‘You’d do this for the team, right?’