Seahawks Pay Texas A&M To Extend “12th Man” Trademark

Though Texas A&M’s football team was the first to refer to its fan-base as the “12^th Man,” the Seattle Seahawks have adopted it as a rallying cry for their fans and have struck a five-year deal to continue the tradition. The Seahawks will pay $140,000 to Texas A&M for limited rights to the trademark, about $18,000 a year. They will also pay the school $10,000 a year to help the school in its fight to protect the trademark. The Seahawks will not use “12^th Man” on its social media handles or on any merchandise. For their part, the Seahawks own the trademark “12,” “The 12s,” and “We Are 12s.”