Braves in trademark dispute with Disney over movie name

By Christian Boone

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

The Atlanta Braves and their spring landlord are at odds, not over the team's accommodations in Lake Buena Vista, Fla., but over the title of an upcoming Walt Disney movie.

Though it won't be released until June 2012, Team Walt has already begun promoting "Brave," a Pixar production about a Scottish princess who has to rely on her archery skills (and ability to sing syrupy ballads, no doubt) to save her kingdom from a beastly curse.

But the Braves say the movie's title could do damage to the team's brand, the Stitch Kingdom blog reports. Though the team does not possess any trademark on the singular form of the name, lawyers argue it's been used for team merchandising and in reference to players (i.e. former Brave Tom Glavine).

Meanwhile, Disney has been registering different uses of "Brave" for the past year, according to United States Patent & Trademark Office records. Stitch Kingdom, which covers Disney-related news, reports the team's lawyers have until Jan.18 to file opposition papers with the Trademark Trial and Appeals Board, though that may be unnecessary, as negotiations between the two sides are currently under way.

While the dispute may seem frivolous, it's not uncommon for companies to vigorously protect their trademarks, copyright experts note.

The Braves press office has not responded to requests for comment.