On October 25, 2015, Kirk Cousins garnered national attention for yelling at reporters “You like that! You like that!” after he led the Washington Redskins to a twenty-four point come-from-behind victory against the Tampa Bay Buccaneers. That phrase soon became a rallying cry for the now surprisingly playoff-bound Redskins, who were led by the impressive play of their quarterback. What some football observers may not have noticed was the clever off-field actions of Cousins, who filed for a trademark with his brother Kyle on the phrase “You like that” a mere two days after the original outburst this past October.
This is a great example of an athlete being proactive in protecting his or her intellectual property. In his trademark filing, Cousins lists the potential uses of the phrase on “Bumper stickers; Decals and stickers for use as home decor; Magnetic bumper stickers; Mounted posters; Posters; Posters made of paper; Hooded sweatshirts; Tee shirts; [and] Electronic billboard advertising.” With this diligent action, Cousins has protected his ability to monetize the intellectual property that he created.
Kirk Cousins is not the only recent Washington Redskins’ quarterback to take an interest in protecting his intellectual property. Former starter Robert Griffin III created his own company, Thr3escompany, LLC, which obtained numerous trademarks on such phrases as “RGIII,” “RG3,” “Robert Griffin III,” and “Know Your Why.”
Both quarterbacks have taken an intelligent approach to protecting their intellectual property, which other athletes would be wise to follow. I am always available for a consultation regarding such matters.