Can I use someone else's name to sell a product?

[geared]

That's all fair enough; but I still don't understand why 'Tiger Woods' is protected, but 'Bobby Fischer' is not?

 

Well you assume, but then his estate might have rights over it.

 

Release the game: Bobby Fischer Chess Grandmaster and see if anyone notices it???

[alchresearch]

That's all fair enough; but I still don't understand why 'Tiger Woods' is protected, but 'Bobby Fischer' is not?

 

I don't know who the latter is.

 

Perhaps he feels he doesn't need to trademark his name, as he's got no plans to market his own brand of chess sets (I know now because I Googled him). There's far more likely a chance of someone selling Tiger Woods branded merchandise, which could result in being shoddy or misleading.

[Jeffrey Shaw]

Er, Bobby is dead- so he personally is unlikely to object.

[blake]

in China yes.

 

People can sell an ice lolly with picture of Kim Kadashian on the front, no problem no comeback. Nobody will care, unless the picture has her tits figured too prominently. The Chinese might intervene then because it is a domestic moral issue, but when it's just some westerner that objects to having their likeness used to boost another capitalist's profits, they'll just laugh at you.

[Ontarian1981]

Thanks.

 

That's all fair enough; but I still don't understand why 'Tiger Woods' is protected, but 'Bobby Fischer' is not?

 

Is it just a case of a person needs to trademark their own name, in whichever jurisdictions, in order to be protected?

 

it could be that Tiger himself would not go after you as you are, in a way, paying tribute to him.However, his sponsors who already pay him to use his name and image, may not be so open to you treading on their proverbial toes.

[Geo-atkinson]

I would call it "Searching for a tiger in the woods."

[alchresearch]

If its a biography then there's plenty of material on the net. Such as:

 

http://www.ipwatchdog.com/2011/02/11/trademark-of-sarah-palin/id=15274/