49ers QB To Trademark “Kaepernicking”

I know, I know… “Trademarketing” isn’t a word but when the two words are combined it creates the perfect definition for the epidemic that’s happening in sports right now. The crazy thing is, it’s been going on for years, and it’s not restricted exclusively to sports, but in all aspects of life. I can understand completely where these athletes are coming from… when an inventor creates a product that the general public is receptive to, then he/she receives revenue from that product, correct? So, what’s the difference between a product, and an action, per se?

Athletes such as Tim Tebow and Colin Kaepernick have created extremely popular end-zone celebrations (A dance or motion that one does after scoring a touchdown, for you hermits out there..) that have been trademarked. Tim Tebow now owns a trademark on the kneeling-in-prayer image, as well as the name. Now San Francisco 49ers QB Colin Kaepernick is in the process of putting a trademark on “Kaepernicking,” where you kiss your own bicep in celebration. He plans to use the image on t-shirts made by Sportiqe, which are already in circulation. Proceeds from those shirts go to Camp Taylor, a charitable organization to help kids with congenital heart defects.

You can check out more on Camp Taylor by going to their website. Lastly, trademark or no trademark, the proceeds are going to a great cause.

- @OakVII