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More Details on Settlement Between Sheep Organizations

November 16, 2010.

A statement from the Wild Sheep Foundation has provided some additional details of the settlement between the WSF (formerly Foundation for North American Wild Sheep, or FNAWS) and the Grand Slam Club / Ovis.

In terms of financial impact, the WSF has paid $1.65 million in cash to GSCO from the $1.9 million cash bond currently held by the court in Birmingham. The $250,000 balance will be returned to WSF. Additionally, however, $100,000 per year for three years will be paid by WSF to conservation and advocacy programs in the name of both WSF and GSCO.

Regarding the use of "slam" terminology, which was the petty issue at the heart of the costly legal battle, GSCO will provide specific licensed use of the "GRAND SLAM®" and "¾ SLAM®" marks to the WSF. (Apparently those are supposed to be in all caps and have the little ® symbol wherever they appear, based on what I've seen). I believe that means that the WSF can drop the "FNAWS (Four North American Wild Sheep)" and "One More For Four" honors that it had concocted once banned from the use of "slam" terminology.

To further protect GSCO's terminology turf, WSF has agreed to not create a North American Big Game recognition program similar to GSCO’s “North American 29®" or "Super Slam®" program. Further, WSF’s international sheep and goat recognition programs and awards will not copy or be based on GSCO trademarks or copyrights.

The details continue to seem both petty and costly, but the shift towards the future is encouraging. As the statement from the WSF notes, "We can now put all of our collective energy back into 'Putting and Keeping Sheep on the Mountain' and building the finest mountain hunting and conservation organization in the world!"

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