OSU Sues Cafepress

Cafepress, a site that looks and feels like it never left the year 1999 — has been hit with another lawsuit, this time by our own Ohio State University.

OSU is notoriously litigious and forthright when it comes to protecting their Intellectual Property and has sued print-on-demand businesses before, including local business, Skreened where they sued and won, as well as getting a court order against Teespring.

“We are establishing a pattern in the courts, recognized as rightful owners of these properties, and that entities like this, they have a responsibility to monitor what goes through their sites,” Rick Van Brimmer, Ohio State’s assistant vice president for affinity and trademark management, said at the time of that ruling.

OSU wants $1 Million for every counterfeit product on sale, including compensatory damages as well as profits made from selling Ohio State and Urban Meyer items. It also wants Cafepress to pay their attorney’s, because why not — go for broke.

Cafepress will have a hard time with one of those clauses as profits made between selling items is often split with two parties, the independent designer that uploaded the shirt and themselves — Cafepress does not take in the full sale amount for every item moved, meaning they’ll be paying out of pocket to recoup the extra bit that goes to a shop or seller.

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