Former Jets employee sues team over use of his redesigned logo without compensation

The Jets' iconic airplane design logo was created by Jim Pons in the 70s when he was working as the film and video director for the team.

Former Jets employee sues team over use of his redesigned logo without compensation

Former Jets employee sues team over use of his redesigned logo (Via Imago/X)

It appears the New York Jets are going viral once again, but for all the wrong reasons which apparently are far-fetched related to their training camp or preseason. As it turns out, a former Jets employee is suing the franchise for using his redesigned logo without giving compensation to him. 

TMZ Sports reported on Monday that a man named Jim Pons, who previously worked for the Jets designed a logo in 1978 that they used in their recently released uniform, and is demanding to be compensated for using his logo design. Although the team had credited Pons when they released the uniform earlier in April, however, they did not pay him. 

Initially, the Jets have shown that Pons was pleased by the reuse of his iconic logo by releasing a feature of him sitting with the team on their official website. However, in the lawsuit, the former rock ‘n roll musician made it clear that he was anything but pleased. He even claimed that it took him by surprise and “came out of nowhere.” 

FS Video
I had no idea they were even thinking about it, nor did I know that it was that popular with the Jets fans. They told me the fans demanded we go back to the old logo, to my logo. So really, that's wonderful. I'm very happy about that, very proud of that. 
Jim Pons said

Pons reportedly filed a lawsuit in New York on Monday claiming that the airplane design logo was created by him in the 70s when he was working as the film and video director for the Jets. They used the iconic logo for two decades before replacing it in 1997. 

In the suit, Pons has asked the judge to cancel the Jets’ trademark of the logo and an order that the franchise cannot use or sell merchandise with his logo imprinted without his consent or compensation in the future. He is also seeking the damages amount– which has not been revealed. 

Former Jets' film and video director Jim Pons
Former Jets’ film and video director Jim Pons (Via TMZ)

With the news making headlines all around, the Jets asserted that the claim of their former employee is baseless and meritless as the franchise has used the design numerous times while admitting to being aware of the complaint. 

The mark in question has been registered with the United States Patent and Trademark Office for nearly 50 years. The mark has been used continuously in numerous iterations since that time. We find this claim baseless and without merit. 
the Jets said in a statement to The Post

Pons joined the Jets in 1973 as the film and video director and worked with them till 2000 as he shared in the eight-minute feature where he shared how he came up with the iconic logo. 

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