USPSA Dues Increase 85% / what’s going on with USPSA

[Knob Creek]

I'm hoping that the Steel Challenge folks at Harvard will start running outlaw matches instead of Steel Challenge matches. i don't care about my classification.

Rod & Gun of New Bedford run non sanctioned Steel matches starting up again in March. Check Practiscore.

 

[kalash]

According to Ben Stoeger, the BOD cabal is talking about punishing clubs that leave USPSA. Apparently, it is their opinion that clubs that run hitfactor matches are "stealing" from USPSA. These guys seem to think if they keep doubling down they will finally win the social media war.

They filed to trademark "hit factor" in order to establish a legal way to go after clubs running unaffiliated matches. Frank, Ben, and YML apparently weren't told about this until it happened. Practiscore already came out and said that it would be trivially easy for them to change the match type to "points per second" or something similar. Pretty spectacular how much the "cabal" is fighting this and how desperate they're getting. My membership expires in a week and I'm not renewing.

 

[SJan]

Consider keeping your membership. You need to be a member for a year+ to vote in USPSA elections. I am still hopeful that things will start to improve within this year


I saw somewhere that the trademark process takes almost a year, and the hit factor application was just done in the end of January, so it will be a while before they can do anything about it. It's also very unlikely that the application is even approved.

 

[Rob Boudrie]

I believe the "hit factor" trademark was done outside of a board meeting to stealth it. There is a 30 day protest period, after which one can file an objection (much more expensive and complex). Fortunately, someone noticed and got word out before the protest deadline. I believe at least one of the protestors is a qualified attorney. The basis for objection is "descriptive of a process in common use" [a USPTO allowed reason for a protest of the application]

And, trademarking it will not accomplish anything. They can write threatening letters, but it will cost thousands - per club - to bring legal action. A new name would come into existence to describe the same thing - possibly something like PDT (points divided by time) or TAS (temporal accuracy scoring).

 

[SJan]

I just saw that the trademark application was withdrawn/abandoned

I assume those who made the application w/o the board approval also withdrew the application in hopes of saving face
I hope their action is met with discipline

 

[admcd]

Got my copy in the mail today. Everything’s fine.

Mine went straight into the trash bin and then I dumped a can of dip spit on it.

They filed to trademark "hit factor" in order to establish a legal way to go after clubs running unaffiliated matches. Frank, Ben, and YML apparently weren't told about this until it happened. Practiscore already came out and said that it would be trivially easy for them to change the match type to "points per second" or something similar. Pretty spectacular how much the "cabal" is fighting this and how desperate they're getting. My membership expires in a week and I'm not renewing.

They're playing dirty and losing badly. You love to see it.