Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, July 27, 1995 TAG: 9507270085
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B-3 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: RAY COX STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
``We have been working with the people at the National Association of Professional Teams and they are in contact with the hockey people,'' Salem Avalanche owner Kelvin Bowles said Wednesday.
``Certainly we hope that with as much money as we've spent, there will be some protection there. If so, we are going to use whatever legal remedies are available to us.''
The hockey franchise, owned by COMSAT Enterprises, has moved to Denver from Quebec. Officials plan to announce its name, logo and colors Aug.10.
Denver's daily newspapers reported Wednesday that the NHL team's name will be the Avalanche. But whether it will be the ``Rocky Mountain'' or the ``Colorado'' Avalanche still is a matter of debate.
The Rocky Mountain News quoted an unnamed source who said the team's name will be the Colorado Avalanche. On Tuesday, an unnamed source told The Denver Post the team nickname will be the Rocky Mountain Avalanche.
``It's definitely Colorado,'' the News source said. ``I'm not sure where this `Rocky Mountain' stuff has come from.''
The team colors will be red and deep blue and the logo will likely feature a giant ``A'' with the mountains behind it.
The colors of the Salem Avalanche are Colorado Rockies silver, purple and white, but the new hockey team's logo sounds suspiciously similar to the one used by Salem.
This is an issue because there is big money in the sales of team logo paraphernalia. Colorado Rockies gear is some of the best-selling in sports. Sales of Salem Avalanche clothing and memorabilia have been unprecedented for the franchise.
It's particularly ironic that this has come up because Salem had to go through a lengthy trademark search before it could adopt the name Avalanche. A number of names were discarded on trademark grounds.
The lawyer who conducted the search, National Association general counsel Ben Hayes, was unavailable for comment Wednesday.
by CNB