Ken Block, you're dead to me

Was DC shoes around in 1957 ? Gymkhana's were very popular amongst the sport car crowd.

Uncoiled wrote: Ken Block, or make me not like him, he is pretty awesome.

As a stuntdriver and marketing guru, absolutely.

Ken Block as a racer... well, when you crash more often than you finish a race, ya might want to stick to stuntdriving.

iceracer wrote: Was DC shoes around in 1957 ? Gymkhana's were very popular amongst the sport car crowd. Didn't the term originate with horses ?

I've got a sideline video from the Targa Newfoundland that shows a Subaru coming past. It's actually one of Block's old cars when he was first starting out, and is now Richard Burton's spare rally car. He loaned it to another driver who had broken his own Subaru on the first day. Anyhow, it's dark blue with bright orange DC logos all over it. When the car comes in to sight, a kid standing beside the camera started getting all excited, yelling "DC! DC!"

pinchvalve wrote: IIRC, everyone used that term back in the 60's freely, as we use Autocross today.

I'm fairly sure that horsemen were using centuries before Ken Blockhead.

I don't really see the problem. So you can't use the word Gymkhana for profit or in advertising. It doesn't mean you can't use the word. Since when did anybody make any profit or advertise Gymkhana?

As a stuntdriver and marketing guru, absolutely.

Ken Block as a racer... well, when you crash more often than you finish a race, ya might want to stick to stuntdriving.

True, true, his videos are great, and his top gear appearance, haven't seen much of his racing though.

It's the principle of the thing really. The situation reeked of similarity to Carroll Shelby.

To clarify, Ken was representing these events, and personally attended and competed in several of them.

Ken isn't filing a lawsuit, DC is.

So if Grassroots Motorsports wanted to put on and "Old School Gymkhana" event they couldn't? If they wanted to call the autocross portion of the GRM Challenge "gymkhana" they couldn't....kind of ridiculous if you ask me. What if I open a motorsports park and want to run traditional gymkhana events along with modern autocross events, I couldn't advertise that style of motoring because a brotatoe company trademarked it?

Someone better notify Merriam-Webster and let them know that DC now owns the rights to that common lexicon.

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/gymkhana

Definition of GYMKHANA

: a meet featuring sports contests or athletic skills: as a : competitive games on horseback b : a timed contest for automobiles featuring a series of events designed to test driving skill Origin of GYMKHANA

probably modification of Hindi gẽdkhāna & Urdu gendkhāna, literally, ball court First Known Use: 1877

Not for profit. If you made a nickel Quiksliver/DC would get seven cents. That's what happens when you're a sellout.

that must be why Obama don't gymkhana- he can't afford the licensing rights.

novaderrik wrote: that must be why Obama don't gymkhana- he can't afford the licensing rights.

Made my night.

Quick-someone grab autocross, before DC does.

Anyone got an inside line to Jalopnik? This seems news-worthy, and nothing fixes these kind of douchebag decisions like a mass public shunning.

If this corporation knew what it took to put on a grass roots motorsport event they would understand that unless it gains huge support, there is not much profit to be made and that some times, people put on these events simply for the LOVE of the sport.

Margie! They took our words! Sue them.

Can't they just rename the damn thing?

GRID Funky Driving Sideways and Whatnot.

TTAC picked up the story.

Again, Im still not seeing any conclusive correlation between Ken Block and this patent...his company was bought by another company, who YEARS later makes a move on something hes not really involved in aside from the fact that both the term and He involve cars.

Im jealous that you have a fancier toy ball than I do, so Im gonna hate...

hey kiddies, the sandbox is over there, please leave the interwebs to us grown ups.

kthxbai

This thread is making my week for introducing me to the word "Brotato".

If a bunch of "Brotatos" are hanging out in a room, is it a "Brotato Salad"? I hope so.

4cylndrfury wrote: Again, Im still not seeing any conclusive correlation between Ken Block and this patent...his company was bought by another company, who YEARS later makes a move on something hes not really involved in aside from the fact that both the term and He involve cars. *Im jealous that you have a fancier toy ball than I do, so Im gonna hate...* hey kiddies, the sandbox is over there, please leave the interwebs to us grown ups. kthxbai

Who said anything about being jealous?

4cylndrfury wrote: Again, Im still not seeing any conclusive correlation between Ken Block and this patent...his company was bought by another company, who YEARS later makes a move on something hes not really involved in aside from the fact that both the term and He involve cars. *Im jealous that you have a fancier toy ball than I do, so Im gonna hate...* hey kiddies, the sandbox is over there, please leave the interwebs to us grown ups. kthxbai

I think you missed the part where Ken Block is the Chief Branding Officer at DC and thus in charge of all of their lifestyle and marketing decisions. Also, he's on the Board of Directors. It's not like he didn't know the company was doing this, and it's more likely than not that it was his final signature that made it happen in the first place.

But hey, don't let cold, hard facts ruin a good keyboard blasting. kthanxbi

If you read the comment thread on the TTAC link above, the Trademark application has been rejected by the Patent Office.

Doesn't stop DC from resubmitting, but I can't think of anyway they could nail down Gymkhana by itself as it has been in the public lexicon for nearly as long as cars have been around (and certainly before that with horses) They'd have just as much chance trademarking Autoracing or Autocross.

CBO sounds a little to me like Intergalactic Chief of Management...or some other entirely made up position. Im wondering how much if any correlation there is between the business dealings at DC and Blocks work there. If you read into the details of the application, its in reference to media and gaming, not the sport.

With regards to my jealousy statement, Im really referring to all those who were wagging fingers at Block for his hat, regardless of what he can do in a car. A lot of people get jealous because he plays with racecars, makes a gazillion dollars, and is famous for skills despite not even winning...ever. That jealousy makes people say hateful things because, since you cant compare, in a real world sense, in a way that puts you above him, all you can say about the guy is his hat looks funny.

...equates to haters gonna hate in my book. A ten spot says this application doesnt go anywhere but into the permanent file based, if nothing else, than on the fact that Gymkhana is in hundred year old dictionaries, if not for the fact that its been auto sport for decades...

turboswede wrote: If you read the comment thread on the TTAC link above, the Trademark application has been rejected by the Patent Office.

Holy cow! A government office had COMMON SENSE!!!!!!

Otto Maddox wrote: TTAC picked up the story.

I would almost like Ken to sue them for slander.