The Washington Redskins have gone 0-2 in a bid to save the trademark on their name, losing again in federal court Wednesday when a judge ordered the Patent and Trademark Office to cancel registration of the team name trademark.

The reason: The name may be offensive to Native Americans. The impact: After exhausting appeals, the team loses the trademark but not the name.

The ruling by Judge Gerald Bruce Lee affirmed an earlier decision and will force the team to take its case to the Supreme Court where it is looking more like an appeal will be a "Hail Mary" plan before judges sensitive to popular opinion.


Noted lawyer John Banzhaf, a professor at the local George Washington University Law School, said the decision isn't just a blow to the team's bid to keep its name. The decision will also hit the 'Skins in the wallet.

The 70-page decision, he said in a statement to Secrets, "means that, although the team may continue to use the name and associated trademarks, it will be much harder for it to stop others from also using it, and thereby cutting into the team's revenue."

Banzhaf is one of the leaders of the movement to force the team to change the team name. The team refuses. Polls show fans want the team to keep the name.

"Today's ruling may provide a 'perfect storm' which the racist word may not be able to weather," said the professor, noting the recent trend against public displays of items some find offensive like the Confederate flag.

In his order, the judge made clear that he wasn't stopping the team from using the Redskins name or trademark images, or fans from wearing the gear.

Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner's "Washington Secrets" columnist, can be contacted at pbedard@washingtonexaminer.com.