SPORTS CARD MAKER PANINI IS SUING BANG BROS OVER COUNTERFEIT CARDS
Sports cards. The Law. Bang Bros. My worlds are colliding!
Major sports card maker, Panini, filed a lawsuit yesterday claiming that Bang Bros is illegally using their trademarks.
Attorney and sports card collector, Paul Lesko, breaks it down in this thread if you want to read into all the details.
In short, Panini is claiming that Bang Bros purchased the domain site BangBros.Cards and on this website, they are selling cards featuring adult actresses and Panini trademarks. For legal reference only, here are a few of the cards in question:
Now, that last card may look familiar. I posted it to my twitter a few months back along with some info about the card.
In early February, I reached out to Bang Bros. It was surprisingly easy to get ahold of someone in their office. I asked Bang Bros if they were making these cards or if they made any type of cards and they said No. Fast forward a few months and now Panini is saying that's a lie. So, what's going on here?!
Here is my FSU pre-law legal theory:
A random third party, not Panini or Bang Bros, purchased the website BangBros.Cards in December of last year and has been making fucking bank for the past couple of months selling these fake cards they are just throwing together with random images of porn stars and card company logos. Panini's lawyers had to do something about all these cards popping up with their trademarks and like a lot of people who don't know how the internet works, they just assume that it must be Bang Bros that is doing it because obviously, only Bang Bros could buy the domain BangBros.Cards. Now, not only is this giving a bunch of free press to these counterfeit cards using their clients logos next to some giant mommy milkers, but they are suing the wrong people and are going to look real stupid when the lawsuit gets thrown out. That's most likely the case.
There is of course the possibility that Bang Bros really is behind this and they are just denying they are making the cards because of the legal consequences, but you have to ask, why in the world would they even bother using the sports card company logos. I'm confident in saying the Bang Bros name and logo is probably more recognizable to the general public than some of these Panini trademarks. A lot of people collect sports cards, but a lot more watch the porn. After this case, I wouldn't be surprised if BangBros starts to make actual authentic Bang Bros Cards. If you're reading this BangBros, I would be happy to help advise on that project.
Judge Duggs Verdict: Case Dismissed!
UPDATE: Panini has now filed a motion with the courts to have the BangBros.Cards website shut down immediately in order to stop further cards with their logos from being sold. In those filings, Panini lawyers called me an "Expert" and used my youtube video discussing these cards as evidence.
Please ignore anything negative I said about Panini lawyers possibly suing the wrong party.
They obviously know what they are doing.