Marshawn Lynch Files For Trademark

Marshawn Lynch is a lot smarter than most will give him credit for. Lynch, who is in the midst of contract negotiations with Seattle, is sure to keep us humored even when he doesn’t intend to. Sometime last week the ever-so-clever, Seahawks running back trademarked “I’m just here so I won’t get fined,” the statement that had reporters riled up during Super Bowl Media Day as it was his response to over 20 questions. Well-known for his one liners to the media during post-game interviews, this was by far one of the most amusing. And not only is he filing for it with the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office, he’s putting it on shirts and hoodies through his Beast Mode apparel line. (Yes, I will be buying.) Chris Bevans, who runs the clothing line, said the idea came from fans who wanted the shirts. “This is just listening to the marketplace,” said Bevans. Though he won’t actually own the trademark until the summer, the apparel should be out within the next month.

But don’t be fooled this is not his first go-round with trademarks. The more obvious “Beast Mode” phrase, along with the funky “B” seen on an array of items, are the reasoning behind hundreds of cease-and-desist letters sent out to people in hopes to appropriate it, reports ESPN. And after selling out of 1,000 hats embedded with the logo at a pop-up shop during the Super Bowl game, I’d say it was among one of the best business decisions he’s made. The brand got about $3 million worth of exposure, as estimated by Front Row Analytics, a sponsorship firm. Lynch also trademarked another crowd favorite line from an interview with Deion Sanders, “About that action BOSS,” last year. He already owns four trademarks and has filed for four more, including the phrase “Power Pellet.”

Call him silly, stupid or hilarious but as Mike Golic, from Mike and Mike, mentioned “he’s laughing all the way to the bank.”

Sources Cited:

Lynch seeks “I’m just here” trademark: Darren Rovell, ESPN.com