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NYCRUNS Changes Name of Brooklyn Half Marathon After Lawsuit

Background

The New York Road Runners (NYRR) filed a lawsuit against NYCRUNS, a local running organization, to change the name of its half marathon in Brooklyn. The lawsuit was settled, and NYCRUNS has reintroduced the race as the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon.

The Name Change

The NYCRUNS Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon is a 13.1-mile course that starts in northern Brooklyn, continues along the Williamsburg waterfront, winds through Fulton Street and Flatbush Avenue, and ends in Brooklyn’s Backyard, Prospect Park. The race is unchanged aside from its name.

The Lawsuit

The lawsuit was filed after NYCRUNS started using a similar name to NYRR’s Brooklyn Half Marathon, which had been run in the borough every year for more than 30 years. NYRR had trademarked the name "Brooklyn Half Marathon" in the 1980s. The suit accused NYCRUNS of choosing a similar name "with the intent to confuse consumers and capitalize on the enormous goodwill" associated with NYRR.

The Settlement

The parties worked with a private mediator to resolve the issue out of court. By late October, they had agreed to a "settlement in principle," and they jointly moved to dismiss the lawsuit in December. On January 7, NYCRUNS announced the name change to the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon.

Reactions

Some runners have expressed mixed opinions about the name change. One Reddit user commented, "Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon is a pretty good name." Another wrote, "Keeping the word ‘Brooklyn’ in the name will still confuse a lot [of] people. That’s like NYCRUNS creating a marathon in the fall and calling it the iconic ‘New York Marathon’ without the word ‘city’ in the name."

Conclusion

The name change is a result of a settlement between NYCRUNS and NYRR. The race remains unchanged aside from its name, and NYCRUNS has introduced a new name that still pays homage to the borough. While some runners may still be confused, the name change is a step towards resolving the issue and avoiding further legal action.

FAQs

Q: Why did NYCRUNS change the name of its half marathon?
A: NYCRUNS changed the name of its half marathon after a lawsuit was filed by the New York Road Runners (NYRR) over trademark infringement.

Q: What is the new name of the half marathon?
A: The new name is the NYCRUNS Brooklyn Experience Half Marathon.

Q: Is the race course unchanged?
A: Yes, the race course remains unchanged aside from the name change.

Q: Why did NYRR file a lawsuit against NYCRUNS?
A: NYRR filed a lawsuit against NYCRUNS over trademark infringement, claiming that NYCRUNS’ similar name was confusing consumers and capitalizing on NYRR’s goodwill.

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